Japan
April rate hike not too late - BOJ minutes
One of the Bank of Japan's nine policy board members called on the central bank to be cautious about hiking interest rates in light of slow wage growth and sluggish consumption, the minutes of the BoJ's Feb 20-21 meeting released Monday 26 March showed.
BOJ's Fukui repeats to hike rates slowly
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui told lawmakers Monday 26 March that the central bank will maintain its accommodative monetary policy stance for now by raising interest rates only slowly.
Japan's Omi says land prices don't indicate bubble
Japan's rising land prices reflect the country's economic recovery and don't indicate an asset bubble, finance minister Koji Omi said Friday 23 March.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, March 2007
The Bank of Japan published the English version of its March 2007 monthly report on Friday 23 March. In the report the BOJ left its assessment of economic and financial developments unchanged for March, saying the economy continues to expand moderately.
Fukui says BOJ to help economy with low rates
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui told lawmakers Thursday 22 March that the central bank will help maintain economic growth under price stability by keeping very low interest rates "for now" and vary them only gradually in line with the economic…
BoJ's Fukui says markets saw 'healthy correction'
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said on Tuesday 20 March the central bank will closely monitor global equity markets for further developments, but stressed that the recent worldwide sell-off has been a "healthy correction."
RBA's Edey on Australia in the global economy
In the speech 'Australia in the global economy' given on 16 March Malcolm Edey of the Reserve Bank of Australia said Australia's underlying inflation level is still expected to decline slightly over the next two years to around 2.75 pct which is higher…
Fukui denies BOJ leaked information
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui denied in parliament Thursday 16 March that the central bank leaked information to the media before announcing an interest-rate increase last month.
BoJ's Fukui says no stocks impact from rate hike
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said in parliamentary testimony Thursday 15 March that the BoJ's latest rate hike in February did not directly lead to the recent global stock market slump.
Tanaka says next BOJ policy changes to take time
Japan's economy is running smoothly but it is not yet in an inflationary environment and further Bank of Japan monetary policy changes may take some time, Japan's senior vice finance minister said on Tuesday 14 March.
Bank of Japan, Financial System Report, March 2007
The Bank of Japan published its Financial System Report for March 2007 on 13 March. Japan's financial system as a whole has remained stable, the report said.
OECD's Cotis says US recession unlikely
OECD chief economist Jean-Philippe Cotis said Tuesday 13 March he does not expect a recession in the US.
Takenaka says BOJ rate hike came too early
Japan's former economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka has criticised the Bank of Japan in an interview published Friday 9 March for increasing interest rates in February despite continued deflation.
Kamezaki, Nakamura to join BOJ board
Hidetoshi Kamezaki, a senior vice president of Mitsubishi Corp., and Seiji Nakamura, president of MOL Ferry Co., were appointed to the Bank of Japan's nine-member board, Japanese media reported Thursday 8 March.
Japan's Iwata on unwinding yen carry trades
Bank of Japan deputy governor Kazumasa Iwata said Wednesday 7 March recent financial market developments, including the unwinding of yen carry trades, were "technical position adjustments" by investors who have been "complacent" about asset price…
Japan to tap business chiefs for BOJ board- report
Japan's government will appoint a vice president of the country's largest trading company and a shipping company executive to the Bank of Japan's monetary policy board, the Nikkei business daily said Wednesday 7 March.
BOJ deputy Muto seen as favourite for governor
Many economists think that deputy Bank of Japan governor Toshiro Muto is the leading candidate to be the next Japanese central bank governor, a Jiji Press survey showed Friday 2 March.
Japan MoF's Watanabe is watching FX markets
Japan's finance ministry is observing developments in foreign exchange markets very closely, but this is business as usual, Hiroshi Watanabe, vice minister of finance for international affairs, told MNI.
China reforms would cut volatility says Paulson
US treasury secretary Henry Paulson said Tuesday 6 March that the global economy is as strong as he's ever seen and that reforms in China would help reduce market volatility.
Why Germany's economy will outshine Japan
According to this article by Stephen Roach, published on Wednesday 28 February by MoneyWeek, the German economy is very much on the mend after failing to fall into a Japanese-like quagmire.
BOJ says market should be ready for global flows
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui told a forum on the money market Thursday 1 March that the Japanese money market should make necessary adjustments to be able to deal with growing global capital flows.
IMF's Rato on the Japanese economy
In a speech given on 26 February Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said warned policymakers and investors about increasing growth in yen carry trades and urged Japan to make clear that deflationary pressures are being rooted out.
Mizuno says BOJ needs to keep raising rates
The Bank of Japan needs to keep raising interest rates, board member Atsushi Mizuno said in a speech Wednesday 28 February, a week after he and other policy board members voted to increase interest rates for the second time in six years.
BoJ says forward-looking policy, data can coexist
Minutes from the Bank of Japan's policy board meeting of Jan 17-18 released Monday 26 February showed members agreed that the central bank does not change interest rates based on a schedule set in advance and that it can maintain its forward-looking…