On June 3, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda stated in his final routine speech before an upcoming highly anticipated policy meeting that the central bank needs to continuously raise interest rates based on economic conditions and inflation. Ueda mentioned, 'For example, if the central bank judges that the likelihood of achieving the baseline scenario increases, meaning that tensions in the Middle East gradually ease and that the underlying inflation rate rises to around 2% against a backdrop of moderate economic growth, then I believe the central bank will continue to raise policy rates at an appropriate pace.' His remarks indicate a significant likelihood of a rate hike this month, although his statements are not as explicit as during the previous two rate increases. This suggests that Ueda aims to maintain a degree of flexibility amid the increasingly complex and uncertain situation in the Middle East, as well as the stance on monetary policy expressed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.