According to online reports, former chief economist of the Bank of Japan Toshitaka Sekien said that there is increasing market speculation that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates in October, which underestimates the degree of uncertainty caused by Trump's tariff policy. "What I want to say is that the uncertainty may be greater than market participants imagine, and if I were still chief economist at the Bank of Japan and were asked to determine the likely impact of tariffs by October, I would say 'no'," he said. Sekiane's comments follow signs of economic recovery that prompted economists to list October as the most likely time for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates next. The senior economist said he would not completely rule out the possibility of raising interest rates because a range of factors, including the exchange rate, could influence the decision. However, it is difficult for the authorities to assert that economic risks have fully subsided by then. (Jin Shi)