With the yen entering historically weak territory, one estimate suggests that at an exchange rate of 162 yen to the dollar, the burden on households would swell by around 16,000 yen per year. While a weaker yen improves earnings for exporters, it also pushes up import costs, fuels higher prices, and creates headwinds for domestic demand-oriented companies and small and medium-sized enterprises. According to a survey by Teikoku Databank, the assumed exchange rate for fiscal 2026 averages 147.87 yen, meaning the current rate is about 14 yen weaker, dealing a heavy blow to small businesses with limited ability to pass on costs. Tokyo Shoko Research reports that bankruptcies caused by the weak yen reached 45 in the first half of 2026, 1.3 times the same period a year earlier, and are expected to remain elevated, particularly in wholesale and retail. An estimate by Mizuho Research Institute shows that if the exchange rate stays at 162 yen to the dollar for a full year, the average household burden would increase by 15,534 yen compared with 2025, with lower-income groups bearing a disproportionately larger share.