Three people familiar with the thoughts of the Bank of Japan said that the Bank of Japan will consider raising its inflation forecast for the current fiscal year this month, reflecting the ongoing rise in rice and broader food prices. However, the sources said that the Bank of Japan is expected to roughly maintain its inflation expectations for the fiscal years 2026 and 2027, which means that the Bank of Japan will pause interest rate hikes, waiting for clearer information on how U.S. tariffs will impact the economy.