How strong is the AUD to EUR right now?

You may have already noticed the exchange rate has been trending in our favour for a while. In April 2026, the AUD to JPY reached a 35-year high. But today (August 31, 2026), it's gone one step further and broken a 36-year record outright.

The market rate for Japanese Yen has pushed through to 114.46 JPY for every $1 AUD — a figure you'd have to travel all the way back to 1990 to match.

It's a real blast from the past, and we mean that literally. To give you a sense of just how long ago that was:

• Twin Peaks was the show everyone was talking about, between trying to solve the case and make sense of David Lynch's genius.
• Nintendo's original Game Boy — the grey brick with the tiny green screen — was chewing through AA batteries in bedrooms everywhere.
• Daryl Braithwaite's The Horses was dominating pub nationwide, and honestly, it still does.
• Shoulder pads, acid-wash jeans, and scrunchies were considered a genuinely good outfit. We hadn't quite left the 80's in the past...

A lot has changed since then — including, thankfully, how far your Aussie Dollar now stretches in Japan.

What does this mean for your Japan budget?

Exchange rates move around constantly, but every so often they land on a moment like this one, where the difference in your pocket is genuinely significant.

Take a mid-to-high-end Japan trip with a 600,000 JPY budget per person as an example – here's what that same budget would roughly cost you at different points over the last decade (according to mid-market rates):

In other words: the stronger the dollar, the sooner you can realistically book that trip – which is about as good as exchange rate news gets.

How Rate Move Protection has you covered

Not flying out just yet? That’s not a problem. This is exactly the kind of scenario Travel Money Oz’s Rate Move Protection is designed for. Exchange rates are never static, and while AUD to JPY is currently sitting at a 36-year high, nobody can guarantee it won't climb even further from here.

That's where Rate Move Protection comes in. Exchange your JPY in-store, and if the rate improves within 7 days, bring your receipt back and we'll refund the difference*. You get the security of locking in today's rate, plus the upside if things get even better.
 

^Disclaimer:

^{*It's important to note that when discussing these exchange rates, we've used the market rate (the perceived value between two economies), which is different from the retail rate available to travellers. Like the market rate, retail exchange rates fluctuate throughout the day, so it's vital to check with your foreign exchange consultant before swapping your currency.}

^{*Rates and calculations use the mid-market rate from Trading View at 3 PM, 31 August 2026, and are subject to change. The rates used in these calculations are for consistency across historical data and do not reflect retail rates available to the public. Retail rates are subject to change, and online rates may differ from those available in-store. This blog is provided for information only and does not take into consideration your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. While we take reasonable care in providing this content, we give no warranties that it is complete or accurate. We are not liable for any loss caused by reliance on the information contained in this blog.}

^{*T&Cs apply for Rate Move Protection. See full terms and conditions for details.}