対ドル円相場急騰 市場は疑心暗鬼［2024.7.15］

12日のニューヨーク外国為替市場で対ドルの円相場が再び急騰し、一時1ドル＝157円台前半と6月中旬以来、約3週間ぶりの円高・ドル安水準をつけた。政府・日銀は前日に市場の不意を突いて約2カ月ぶりに円買い・ドル売りの為替介入に踏み切っており、市場では再介入観測が広がるなど疑心暗鬼が渦巻いた。

取引開始から1ドル＝159円前後で推移していたが、6月の米物価関連の経済指標が発表された直後に1円以上、円高が進んだ。さらに米消費者関連の経済指標が発表された直後にも1円弱、円高が進む場面もあり、157円台後半で取引を終えた。

　政府・日銀は11日、6月の米消費者物価指数（CPI）が発表された直後に3・5兆円規模の円買い・ドル売りの為替介入を実施したとみられている。

　12日のニューヨーク外国為替市場での円急騰について、神田真人財務官は日本時間13日未明、財務省内で記者団の取材に応じ「（為替）介入したかどうか、私から申し上げることはない」と述べた。

■英訳

On the 12th, the yen-dollar exchange rate surged again in the New York foreign exchange market, temporarily reaching the mid-157 yen range per dollar, a high for the yen and a low for the dollar not seen since mid-June, about three weeks ago. The government and the Bank of Japan surprised the market the previous day by intervening in the foreign exchange market for the first time in about two months by buying yen and selling dollars. This move stirred uncertainty and speculation about further interventions.

The exchange rate had been hovering around 159 yen per dollar since the start of trading, but immediately after the release of U.S. economic indicators related to inflation in June, the yen strengthened by more than one yen. The yen further appreciated by nearly one yen right after the release of U.S. consumer-related economic indicators, ending the trading day in the upper 157 yen range.

On the 11th, the government and the Bank of Japan are believed to have conducted a foreign exchange intervention worth about 3.5 trillion yen, buying yen and selling dollars, immediately after the release of the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for June.

Regarding the sharp rise in the yen in the New York foreign exchange market on the 12th, Masato Kanda, the Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, responded to reporters at the Ministry of Finance early on the morning of the 13th Japan time, stating, "I have no comment on whether there was intervention (in the foreign exchange market)."

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