The Bank of Japan (BOJ) decided by a majority vote to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at around 0.75 percent on Tuesday.
The BOJ maintained the benchmark interest rate steady for the third consecutive meeting after raising it to the highest level in 30 years in December 2025.
The central bank said that downside pressure on the Japanese economy has increased due to global rising crude oil prices. As a result, the bank lowered its real gross domestic product growth forecast for fiscal 2026 from the previous 1 percent to 0.5 percent, while raising its core inflation forecast for the current fiscal year from 1.9 percent in January to 2.8 percent.
Japan's central bank keeps interest rate unchanged at 0.75 pct
South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region remains under a Level IV rainstorm alert as heavy downpours and severe convective weather continue to batter multiple areas after intense rainfall hit the region on Monday.
The severe weather has triggered serious urban flooding in several cities, trapping residents and prompting emergency rescue operations by armed police and firefighters.
The Guangxi Meteorological Observatory forecasts that during daytime on Tuesday, cities including Guilin, Liuzhou, Hezhou, Laibin, Guigang, and Wuzhou, as well as central and southern parts of Hechi and Baise, and northern Nanning, will see heavy to torrential rain, with localized downpours accompanied by short-duration thunderstorms and strong winds.
On Tuesday night, cities including Wuzhou, Guigang, Nanning, Chongzuo, Yulin, Beihai, Qinzhou, and Fangchenggang will experience heavy to torrential rain, with localized downpours accompanied by short-duration thunderstorms and strong winds.
Qinzhou City in southern Guangxi has been hit by heavy rainfall, with severe waterlogging on multiple road sections trapping residents since Monday.
The Qinzhou Detachment of the Guangxi Armed Police Corps dispatched officers driving inflatable boats to search for and relocate the stranded residents. So far, more than 800 people have been evacuated.
Sudden heavy rain also struck Fangchenggang City in Guangxi on Monday.
In Baisha Village of the Gangkou District, severe waterlogging left multiple residents trapped. Local firefighters rushed to the scene upon receiving the emergency call to assist with evacuations.
Upon arrival, the firefighters found that rising river levels caused by rainfall had led to severe flooding in some areas, with water depths reaching nearly 1.5 meters and multiple homes submerged.
The firefighters, carrying life jackets and other equipment, used inflatable boats to evacuate residents.
After more than an hour of rescue efforts, all 22 trapped individuals were safely evacuated. No casualties were reported.
Severe storms trigger flooding, emergency rescues in south China
