Bank of Japan (BOJ) Vice Governor Shinichi Uchida indicated that the central bank may continue raising interest rates if economic and price trends align with expectations. Uchida highlighted improvements in Japanese business confidence and maturing conditions for rate hikes, though he noted uncertainties due to global trade policies. The BOJ raised rates to 0.5% in January, ending a decade of ultra-loose monetary policy, and analysts anticipate a further increase to 0.75% by January next year.