Japan Stocks Poised to Catch Up on Global AI Rally as Yen Hovers Near 157

Japanese equities are set to rally when trading resumes on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after the Silver Week holiday, with Nikkei 225 futures in Osaka trading 1.4% above Friday's close. The catch-up move follows a global AI-led advance sparked by early success of Meta's new AI agent and Alibaba's launch of its most powerful AI chip to date. The yen traded around 157.28 per dollar after a four-day losing streak, its longest since late August, keeping currency intervention risk in focus. A weaker yen may lift exporter shares but raises the prospect of Japanese authorities stepping into markets, as they signaled by checking exchange-rate levels with traders. Chip-equipment makers Tokyo Electron and Advantest, along with substrate maker Ibiden and memory producer Kioxia, are expected to lead gains. The Bank of Japan's recent rate hike and hawkish guidance may pressure short-term JGBs, with traders bracing for a volatile bond reopen.