The Japanese currency strengthened as much as 0.8% to a one-week high of 156.71 against the dollar following Ueda’s remarks at an event hosted by the Regional Banks Association of Japan Wednesday.

Lawmakers reacted in bafflement when the news spread like wildfire on Feb. 10 through political and financial circles that economist Kazuo Ueda would be named the next Bank of Japan governor.

TOKYO (Reuters) -The Bank of Japan will debate whether to raise interest rates next week, Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Wednesday, signalling its intention to take borrowing costs higher barring a ...