Eiji Maeda, a former Bank of Japan official, has indicated a 50% likelihood of an interest rate hike in April, despite uncertainties from the Iran conflict. Maeda, who previously oversaw monetary policy, suggests that the Bank of Japan faces a challenging decision, with both April and June being potential months for a rate increase. He emphasized that an April hike would be prudent to avoid lagging behind inflation. Market expectations align with Maeda's view, as overnight swap markets reflect a 60% probability of an April rate hike. Maeda warned that if the Bank of Japan delays action, the yen could weaken further, potentially surpassing 160 against the dollar, which would risk falling behind market trends. He noted that the yen is already weak, and a modest rebound would benefit Japanese businesses and households.