The Japanese yen held around 147 per dollar on Friday, remaining sideways for nearly four weeks as investors digested a series of economic reports. July data showed both industrial production and retail sales fell short of expectations, while Tokyo’s core inflation rate stayed above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target. At the same time, the unemployment rate eased to 2.3% from 2.5% in June, pointing to continued labor market strength. On the trade front, Japan’s chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa canceled a planned trip to Washington this week as Tokyo works to resolve issues in its trade agreement with the US before finalizing a deal. Meanwhile, BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda recently stated that wages are expected to rise further amid tightening labor conditions, reinforcing expectations that another rate hike is gradually coming into view. At its July meeting, the BOJ left rates unchanged but raised inflation forecasts and adopted a more optimistic outlook on the economy.