Weak yen set to pull other currencies down

A weak yen will place further downward pressure on export prices for Asia because Japan competes with the region in some sectors, and is also a large buyer of Asian products. In particular, Korean export prices, then Taiwan and Singaporean export prices are most vulnerable to a weak yen. As a result, Goldman Sachs, in an Asia Pacific economics analyst report, has revised its outlook for the Korean won and Singapore dollar.

With a GDP of about one-and-a-half times as the rest of Asia combined – $4.5 trillion versus $3 trillion, in 2000 – Japan is a heavyweight with much influence over the region. In 1999, Japanese exports and imports accounted for 7.5% and 5.3% of world trade. The percentage share is likely to be larger in the case of manufactured goods.