As American forces carried out their sixth consecutive night of strikes against Iran — tightening a blockade around the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil quietly passes — investors sought the familiar shelter of the dollar, lifting USD/JPY to 162.40. Japan, watching its currency weaken under the weight of distant conflict, reminded markets that it does not stand idle: Finance Minister Katayama signaled readiness to intervene, turning a geopolitical story into a test of competing forces. In this moment, a currency pair has become a kind of barometer — measuring not just ec