Mrs. Watanabe
Mrs. Watanabe, also known as Kimono Trader[1], is a term that gained prominence in the early 2000s, representing a stereotype associated with Japanese retail currency-market traders. These individuals became notable for their active participation in currency trading (Forex), which had a significant impact on global currency markets and garnered attention on a worldwide scale.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
The term Mrs. Watanabe was used as early as 1997, although the origin is disputed.[8][9] Despite the "Mrs." title, about 85% of the retail currency traders in Japan as of 2019 are male, mostly in their 30s, 40s and 50s.[10]
Due to the low interest rates in Japan, traders can borrow a large quantity of yen with a margin account, and use it to buy currencies from economies where interest rates are much higher (e.g. Turkish lira, Mexican peso, and South African rand).[10]
References[edit]
- ^ "着物トレーダー". ifinance.ne.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Mrs. Watanabe had a change of heart in 2022: Bank of Japan report". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "Mrs. Watanabe - Japanese Housewife Who Beat the Forex Market". FXCL Markets Ltd. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "Fortune Seekers | Planet Finance (3/6)". Retrieved 13 October 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "How Japanese Housewives Outsmarted Global Finance (Documentary)". Retrieved 13 October 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Harjani, Ansuya (27 June 2014). "Finally, Mrs Watanabe loosens her purse strings". CNBC. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "The fabled Mrs Watanabe of Japan and a few lessons to take from her". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ "Mrs Watanabe, mind your fingers". The Economist. 27 March 1997. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024.
- ^ Reidy, Gearoid (29 May 2024). "My search for the original 'Mrs. Watanabe'". The Japan Times. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ a b Hodo, Chikafumi; Sakai, Daisuke; Miura, Kazumi (18 September 2019). "An Army of Japanese Salarymen Is Rocking Global Currency Markets". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019.
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