Japan spent $74 billion propping up the yen, which hit a 40-year low. Investors noted that intervention alone is insufficient due to wide U.S.-Japan rate differentials. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated Tokyo's readiness to respond appropriately to disorderly currency moves, confirming close coordination with Washington. The yen steadied at 161.2 per dollar after recovering from a low of 162.84. Bankruptcies linked to the weak yen rose 32.3% in the first half of the year, totaling 45 cases.
