A former senior Bank of Japan official warned that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s unusual intervention in Japanese monetary affairs could undermine the central bank’s credibility and amplify global market volatility. Markets are now pricing in a 25-basis-point Bank of Japan rate increase at next week’s meeting, an acceleration from previously more cautious expectations. Bessent has increased his public pressure in recent weeks, challenging traders to bet against him and claiming insight into the Bank of Japan’s intentions. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said his warning to bond traders sounded intimidating when translated into Japanese, contrasting with her earlier description of his comments on yen-short positions as a natural expression of views from someone with a hedge-fund background. Katayama has also said Japan’s foreign-exchange policy stance remains unchanged since late-July coordinated intervention with the United States and that Tokyo will maintain close communication with the U.S. Treasury Department.