The Bank of Japan indicated it remains on track to consider more interest rate hikes by upgrading its assessments for two regional economies, while also offering little evidence of any need for immediate action, Bloomberg News reported. The BOJ raised it economic assessments for the Hokuriku and Tokai regions in its quarterly regional report Monday. In a separate release summarizing the views of branch managers who met to discuss the report, the bank said many reported widening perceptions among business leaders that wages need to keep rising next year.

Japan's central bank has scope to raise interest rates further but must move cautiously and slowly to avoid hurting the economy, a dovish policymaker said on Thursday, reinforcing market views it will be in no rush to lift borrowing costs, Reuters reported. The comments from Bank of Japan board member Asahi Noguchi come a day after Japan's new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, said the economy was not ready for further rate hikes, in surprisingly blunt remarks that pushed the yen lower.

A shrinking and rapidly aging population has forced Japan, which for centuries was mostly closed off to immigrants, to allow foreign workers to enter the country and potentially stay for good, the New York Times reported. Most come from other parts of Asia, including China, Vietnam and the Philippines. That transition to employing more foreign workers has proceeded gradually at big companies in major cities over the past decade.

Japan’s industrial production declined more than expected in August, with uncertainties over the global economy further clouding the outlook for the country’s manufacturing sector, the Wall Street Journal reported. Industrial output fell 3.3% in August from the previous month, government data showed Monday. That compared with a 0.9% decline expected in a poll of economists by data provider Quick and July’s 3.1% increase. Companies expect production to increase 2.0% on month in September, according to the data.

Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda reiterated his cautious tone on Tuesday and said the central bank can wait to act until economic uncertainties become clearer, dampening speculation over another rate increase in October, the Wall Street Journal reported. “In making policy decisions, the bank will need to carefully assess factors such as developments in financial and capital markets at home and abroad and the situation in overseas economies underlying these developments. We have enough time to do so,” Ueda said in a speech to business leaders in Osaka.

Japan’s exports rose at a slower-than-expected pace in August, adding to concerns about the outlook for the global economy, the Wall Street Journal reported. Exports rose ​5.6% in August from a year earlier, Finance Ministry data showed Wednesday. That was much slower than the 10.2% increase in July and the 10.6% rise forecast by economists polled by data provider FactSet. Overseas demand for cars and machinery for construction and mining declined, while shipments of chip-making machines and electronic parts increased, the data showed.

Entertainment giant Sony Group Corp. is the latest company to jump onto a bandwagon of Japanese businesses seeking to tap blockchain technology, a trend that poses challenges for the nation’s government, Bloomberg News reported. Sony last month officially unveiled a digital ledger, Soneium, anticipating that developers will use it to create applications to enhance the firm’s offerings. Precisely how is a work in progress, but the broad idea is that intersecting Soneium with gaming, music and movies could yield opportunities.