Japan
Breaking the Japanese impasse
Ken Worsley assesses what the political battle over the new governor will mean for the Bank of Japan’s independence
The new face of the Bank of Japan
Masaaki Shirakawa brings a wealth of experience and a strong reputation to the top job in Japan, argues Malan Rietveld
Avoiding the deflation trap: three lessons from Japan
The Fed appears to have learned from Japanese monetary-policy mistakes of the early 1990s. But it could still find itself overwhelmed by events, argues Takeo Hoshi
Rate talk inappropriate: Japan's Shirakawa
Masaaki Shirakawa, the governor of the Bank of Japan, on Monday confirmed the central bank has abandoned trying to raise rates for the time being because of the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook.
Japan lowers growth forecast
The Bank of Japan has chopped more than half a point off its growth estimate for 2008 and warned that in a highly uncertain climate, downside risks to the economy could further limit expansion.
Policy stance remains appropriate: BoJ minutes
Japanese policymakers remain keen to raise rates in spite of a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, minutes of the March Monetary Policy Council meeting reveal.
Bank of Japan's economic outlook
Japanese economic growth is slowing mainly due to high energy and materials prices, the Bank of Japan's latest monthly economic report states.
Stalemate ends as Shirakawa is approved
Masaaki Shirakawa is the new governor of the Bank of Japan after the opposition Democratic Party of Japan accepted his nomination on Wednesday, ending a political standoff that has embarrassed both the central bank and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Tokyo nominates Shirakawa for governor
The leadership crisis at the Bank of Japan looks resolved after the government nominated Masaaki Shirakawa, the current acting governor, for the role on Monday night.
Shirakawa gets DPJ blessing, poised to lead BoJ
Masaaki Shirakawa, the acting governor of the Bank of Japan, looks likely to get the job formally after a senior opposition official indicated he would back his appointment.
Tokyo wants new governor by next week
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party wants a new central bank governor in place by next week in time for the meeting in Washington of G7 finance ministers, Nobutaka Machimura, Japan's cabinet secretary, said on 3 April.
Bank of Japan survey shows confidence on the wane
The Bank of Japan is likely to adopt a more dovish monetary policy stance and revise growth estimates downwards on the back of a poorer-than-expected Tankan survey.
Decade-high inflation will not impact BoJ policy
The Bank of Japan remains more likely to cut than hike rates this year despite inflation climbing to its highest level since the 1990s in February, according to analysts.
Financial markets in Japan
This new report from the Bank of Japan looks at how financial markets in the country coped with the market turmoil triggered by the subprime woes in the second half of 2007.
BoJ sets out risk management guidelines
The market instability triggered by the US subprime mortgage problem reaffirms the importance of investors accurately recognising and appropriately managing risk, research published by the Bank of Japan states.
Masaaki Shirakawa for governor?
Masaaki Shirakawa, newly-appointed acting governor of the Bank of Japan, is in the frame for promotion to the top job. He certainly would make the ideal candidate for the position.
Japan without a governor as Fukui steps down
Political squabbling has left the Bank of Japan leaderless at a time of heightened global uncertainty.
How history will judge Fukui
Fukui's term at the helm of the Bank of Japan should be seen as a success but the departing governor failed to fulfil his early promise, says Colin Asher, a senior economist at Nomura, an investment bank.
Japanese opposition likely to reject nominee
As Toshihiko Fukui prepares to step down on Wednesday 19 March, a rudderless Bank of Japan looked a near certainty after the Democratic Party of Japan, the country's main opposition party, indicated it would veto the government's latest choice for…
Old Lady adds an extra £5bn
The Bank of England injected £5 billion ($10 billion) into the money markets on Monday 17 March after overnight interbank rates shot up on the back of Bear Stearns's collapse.
Japan should maintain policy stance, says Noda
The Bank of Japan should continue to gradually raise rates in line with improvements to economic growth, a member of the central bank's rate-setting board has said.
Japan stays firm on policy
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy stance remained unchanged in spite of an increase in the downside risks to growth, minutes of the February rate-setting meeting show.
Japanese opposition vetoes Muto
The Democratic Party of Japan, the country's main opposition party, has rejected the government's nomination of Deputy-Governor Toshiro Muto to succeed Toshihiko Fukui at the helm of the Bank of Japan.
The BIS must become the global central bank
Last year's attempts at central bank coordination fell short, says Krzysztof Rybinski, a former deputy governor at the National Bank of Poland. A global forum is needed.