Kazutaka Maeda, a senior economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute, said the Bank of Japan has become more optimistic about AI-driven exports and capital spending. According to the report, this has shifted the central bank’s policy focus toward upside risks for inflation and economic activity. Its inflation forecast remains broadly aligned with the 2% target, but the bank appears increasingly mindful that inflation could overshoot. Maeda said the Bank of Japan may be considering rate hikes every three months rather than every six, making its December meeting a reasonable opportunity for the next increase.