AI Data Insight
Japan's newly released wholesale sales for April 2026 (Q2) reached 39,102 billion yen. Although falling approximately 7.8% from the previous month due to seasonal factors, it still grew by 4.9% compared to the same period last year. This year-over-year increase primarily reflects the dual impact of yen depreciation and Middle East geopolitics driving up import costs, which has also prompted the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to accelerate interest rate hikes to address price risks.