Nikkei 225 Index falls below 38000 points | Latest news on Japanese stock market affected by yen appreciation and trade tariffs

The Nikkei 225 index fell below 38000 points, and the Japanese stock market was hit by both the appreciation of the yen and concerns about trade tariffs

May 30, 2025, Tokyo News——On May 30th, the Japanese stock market once again came under pressure, with the Nikkei 225 index falling 1.22% to close at 37965.10 points, breaking below the key integer level of 38000 points. This trend reflects a cautious investment sentiment in the Tokyo stock market amid the continued appreciation of the yen and uncertainty about global trade tariffs.

Recently, the continuous appreciation of the Japanese yen against major currencies such as the US dollar has significantly weakened the international competitiveness of Japanese export enterprises, especially directly impacting traditional advantageous industries such as automobiles and electronics. As the Japanese yen exchange rate rises, the profit margins of related export companies are compressed, and stock prices are generally under pressure, becoming the main driving force behind the current decline in the Japanese stock market.

At the same time, the US government has recently released signals that it may increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products, intensifying market concerns about the escalation of global trade frictions. Industry analysts point out that if the US tariff measures are officially implemented, Japan's steel and metal manufacturing industry will face a more severe export environment, posing new downward pressure on the Nikkei 225 index.

Despite this, the fundamentals of the Japanese economy remain stable, but exchange rate fluctuations and changes in international trade policies continue to bring ongoing uncertainty to the Tokyo stock market. The market is generally concerned about the performance of Japanese export companies in the future, as well as the further direction of the global trade situation. Investors expect that whether the Nikkei 225 index can effectively return to the 38000 point mark will become the core focus of attention in the Japanese financial market in the short term.