円安是正へ、日米が15年ぶりの協調介入

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is August third. For the first time in fifteen years, Japan and the United States have jointly stepped into the currency market, buying yen to stop its historic slide. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

The finance minister announced today that Japan and the United States worked together and carried out a currency intervention to buy yen.

It means currency intervention — when a government steps into the exchange market.

It is the first joint intervention by Japan and the United States in fifteen years, since the great earthquake of twenty eleven.

It means coordination — acting together with a partner.

A currency intervention is when a government or central bank sells and buys money in the market to stabilize the currency's value.

It means stability.

When the yen is weak, imported goods get more expensive, so daily necessities like food and energy cost more.

It means imported goods.

The government explained that it sold dollars and bought yen to correct movements that had gone too far.

It means to go too far — beyond a reasonable level.

After the intervention, the yen's value rose to the one hundred fifty-five range against the dollar.

It means a strong yen — the opposite word describes a weak yen.

The minister said that if necessary, further joint interventions will be carried out without hesitation.

It means hesitation.

On the other hand, a stronger yen cuts exporters' profits, so stocks were sold on the market.

It means profit.

In Tokyo today, the benchmark stock average fell six hundred seven yen from Friday, closing just below sixty-four thousand.

It means stock price.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

Fifteen years — the first time since twenty eleven, the year of the great earthquake.

The one hundred fifty-five yen range against the dollar.

That's all for today. Japan and the United States bought yen together for the first time in fifteen years to stop the currency's historic slide, and the finance minister says more interventions may follow without hesitation. The yen strengthened to the one fifty-five range, while stocks fell as exporters' profits came under pressure. Thanks for listening, and see you tomorrow.