The yen's fresh slide to a 34-year low complicates the Bank of Japan's deliberations on the timing of a next interest rate hike, as a resulting rise in import costs pushes up inflation but also hurts already weak consumption and the broader economy. If that weakness persists and discourages small firms from hiking pay, the central bank may prefer to wait at least until autumn before hiking, say five government officials and sources familiar with its thinking. The BOJ is seen raising this year's price forecast at the next meeting on April 26 and project inflation to stay near its 2% target through 2026, said two of the sources, underscoring its readiness to jack up rates from zero later this year.

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