Makoto Sakurai, a former member of the Bank of Japan's Policy Board, emphasized the importance of a rate hike in June to prevent falling behind inflation. Sakurai, who served from 2016 to 2021, stated that the upcoming meeting is crucial for policymakers to address inflation effectively. He warned that failing to act could result in missing the opportunity for future rate hikes due to uncertainties like the Iran conflict. Sakurai's comments come as the yen trades near intervention levels, raising concerns about import costs fueling inflation. Recent data showed Tokyo's core inflation index rose 1.3% year-over-year in May, the smallest increase in four years, influenced by temporary water fee reductions. Despite this, Sakurai believes inflation could accelerate later, and the Bank of Japan should not alter its policy path. Asako Takamori, known for supporting accommodative policies, may allow the board to decide independently following U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent's supportive signals for rate hikes.