By RoboForex Analytical Department
The USD/JPY pair held steady on Thursday, trading around 148.13 as the yen modestly recovered from the losses incurred in the previous session. The US dollar came under pressure following the release of softer US labour market data, which bolstered expectations of an impending Federal Reserve rate cut.
Domestically, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda reiterated on Wednesday the central bank’s commitment to a gradual pace of rate hikes, contingent on economic growth and inflation aligning with its projections.
Market participants now await further direction from the latest wage statistics, due for release on Friday.
Meanwhile, political uncertainty continues to weigh on the Japanese currency. The pair briefly touched a one-month low yesterday amid news that Hiroshi Moriyama, the ruling party’s secretary-general and a key ally of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, had resigned. Speculation has since intensified that Ishiba himself may step down. Among the potential successors is Sanae Takaichi, a noted proponent of maintaining ultra-low interest rates, a factor likely to keep the yen under pressure.
Technical Analysis: USD/JPY
Free Reports:
Sign Up for Our Stock Market Newsletter – Get updated on News, Charts & Rankings of Public Companies when you join our Stocks Newsletter
Get our Weekly Commitment of Traders Reports - See where the biggest traders (Hedge Funds and Commercial Hedgers) are positioned in the futures markets on a weekly basis.
H4 Chart:
On the H4 chart, USD/JPY continues to develop a corrective wave within a defined ascending channel. The current move suggests a continuation of the correction towards the channel’s lower boundary near 146.77. Upon completion of this pullback, the pair could form another leg higher, with an initial target at 149.00 and a further objective at 150.75. This outlook is technically supported by the MACD indicator. The histogram has begun to decline, while the signal line has crossed beyond the histogram and is turning lower.
H1 Chart:
On the H1 chart, having tested the 149.00 level, the pair is now forming a corrective decline. The support level at 146.77 serves as the initial target for this pullback. This scenario is confirmed by the Stochastic oscillator. Its signal line is currently in the overbought zone above 80.0. A decisive break below the 80.0 level would signal a likely continuation of the corrective move.
Conclusion
USD/JPY is currently balancing between a dovish Fed and a cautious BoJ, amplified by domestic political risks. While the near-term bias is for a continued correction lower, the broader uptrend remains intact pending a break of key channel support. All eyes are on Friday’s wage data for the next significant catalyst.
Disclaimer:
Any forecasts contained herein are based on the author’s particular opinion. This analysis may not be treated as trading advice. RoboForex bears no responsibility for trading results based on trading recommendations and reviews contained herein.

- Oil prices are holding around 95 dollars per barrel. Bank Indonesia kept its key rate unchanged Mar 18, 2026
- EUR/USD Awaits Fed Decision Mar 18, 2026
- GBP/USD Pauses Ahead of Bank of England Rate Decision Mar 17, 2026
- The RBA raised the rate to 4.1% amid a surge in fuel prices. The Canadian dollar strengthened following the inflation data release Mar 17, 2026
- RoboForex Launches Swap-Free Trading for All Clients Mar 16, 2026
- Gold Continues to Decline Amid Fed Expectations Mar 16, 2026
- Investors begin pricing in prolonged stagflation due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz Mar 16, 2026
- Iran wants to maintain the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz until the United States closes all its bases in the Middle East Mar 13, 2026
- USD/JPY at Highest Since July 2024: Market Awaits BoJ Intervention Mar 13, 2026
- Oil continues to rise despite record strategic reserve releases by the IEA Mar 12, 2026

