The Yen Hits a 40-Year Low, and Japan Feels It Against the Won

Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The dollar pushed into the high 163-yen range after a U.S. economic indicator, marking the yen's weakest level in roughly 40 years. A rapid weak yen feeds straight into higher import prices and living costs, so public frustration tends to flow toward the government. The "first time in 40 years" framing gives the level real weight, even as the understanding that "this is dollar strength, not yen weakness" spreads. On top of that, the Korean won turned stronger at the same time, flipping the long-running "at least we're better than the weak won" currency bragging that Japanese users had aimed at Korea for years—producing a reaction that mixed self-mockery with pushback.

Key Reaction Themes

• Alarm and blame — Laments that "the yen has no value left" and calls to intervene, aimed squarely at the Takaichi government and monetary policy.
• Perspective and optimism — "163 is nothing if you lived through the 365-yen era," and "a weak yen helps exports," offered as calmer counterpoints.
• The currency bragging flips against Korea — Self-deprecating "Asia's weakest currency" jokes alongside the rebuttal that the won's strength comes from a semiconductor-bubble unwind, not fundamentals.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

The dollar tops 163 yen, a roughly 40-year low

Driven by a U.S. indicator, the dollar briefly reached the high 163-yen range, the yen's weakest level in about 40 years.

Sources: Yahoo! Finance, 2ch

Comments:

• "163.6—I've never seen a number like this."
• "First time in 40 years."
• "I lived through the 365-yen era, so 163 yen is still no big deal. Let's at least wait until it hits 200 before making a fuss."
• "It's not that bad—it's a plus for exporting Japanese products."
• "My savings shrink just from sleeping. Thanks a lot, Sanae Takaichi."
• "And this is dollar strength, not yen weakness, so it's pointless for the Bank of Japan to intervene on its own."
• "Seriously, intervene already—are they planning to weaken the yen by a yen every week?"
• "The yen basically has no value left."

Compared with the Korean won—"Asia's weakest currency"

As the yen weakened, the Korean won turned stronger, framed as Japan "losing" to Korea on the currency front.

Sources: 2ch

Comments:

• "The won has strengthened to 100 yen = 907 won. The Japanese yen has gotten way too weak."
• "The yen, Asia's weakest currency."
• "Korea has escaped its weak-won hell."
• "Japan keeps getting poorer."
• "We were mocking the won, and then the yen died and the won made a comeback 😢"
• "Back in Kishida's time it once hit 8.50 won to the yen, so this isn't even that strong for the won."
• "I watched videos saying the won's slide was unstoppable and Korea was finished, but it turned out the opposite."
• "The era when you could just drop a zero from the won to get the Japanese yen is now in the past."