Japan
OECD's Gurria calls for global imbalances action
Washington and Beijing need to back their words with action, after pledging to deal with global economic imbalances, the incoming chief of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Thursday 16 February.
Why the Bank of Japan should just shut up
According to this article published on Monday 13 February, until the consumer price index and other inflation measures turn positive and stay there for six months or even longer, Bank of Japan officials should keep their heads down and their mouths…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, February 2006
The Bank of Japan published the English version of its February 2006 monthly report on 13 February. In the report the BOJ said Japan's economy is expected to continue to recover steadily.
BOJ's Mizuno cautions on asset bubble risk
Bank of Japan policy board member Atsushi Mizuno has said that the BOJ's super-easy monetary policy may help produce an asset bubble in Japan, the Jiji Press news agency reported.
Japan's Diet approves Suda's reappointment at BOJ
The Diet gave approval on Friday 10 February to a government plan to retain Miyako Suda as a member of the Bank of Japan's policy panel for a second five-year term.
BoJ - inflation to accelerate in Q1
The Bank of Japan's (BoJ) nine-member board ended Thursday's monetary policy meeting by keeping policy unchanged. BoJ governor, Toshihiko Fukui, said he expected inflation to accelerate in first quarter of 2006.
Big reserve holders in Asia
The president of the Asian Development Bank, Haruhiko Kuroda, told Dow Jones newswires yesterday that "emerging economies in Asia are well advised to decelerate the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves". "Many of them have more than enough", he said.
Comment: BoJ and inflation targeting
As the Bank of Japan's "quantitative easing" policy nears its end, the question of whether the central bank may soon set an explicit inflation target is being hotly debated. Although the BoJ is still resisting the adopting the framework, the tide may…
BoJ to implement next-generation RTGS project
The Bank of Japan said Friday it has decided to implement the next-generation real-time gross settlement (RTGS-XG) project.
BoJ's Muto: Conditions not met for policy shift
Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Toshiro Muto said on Thursday 2 February it was still too early to abandon the bank's ultra-loose policy despite recent increases in consumer prices.
Report says BoJ may extend Suda's term
The Bank of Japan has suggested that it may extend the appointment of a policy board member by giving a the official another five-year term.
Comment: Talking points in January
January has been an eventful month in central banking circles. Debate intensified at the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan over their monetary policy frameworks, while the Bank of Italy and the State Bank of Pakistan saw new governors taking office…
So much forex reserve, is it a blessing?
After recent figures showed China is not far behind Japan, the world's largest holder of foreign exchange reserves, this article published on Thursday 26 January asks: is it a blessing to have such an enormous forex reserve?
Takeuchi to join BOJ board - report
World Bank economist Sawako Takeuchi has been named as the likely replacement for Miyako Suda on the Bank of Japan's board.
Officials warn Japan's deflation not yet over
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Friday 27 January that although the key CPI rose for the second straight month in December, the country's economy has not yet emerged from deflation.
Fed's Fisher on process of creative destruction
In a speech given on 19 January Richard Fisher of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said there is a dynamic tension in Japan today.
BOJ minutes show reluctance for price target
According to minutes from the Bank of Japan board's December meeting released on Wednesday 25 January, some members of the BOJ's policy board felt it would be hard to set a desirable rate of inflation.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, January 2006
The Bank of Japan published the English version of its January 2006 monthly report on 24 January. In its report the BOJ upgraded its assessment of the economy for the first time in five months, saying it is now showing a "steady" recovery.
Comment: Is Japan really 'out of the woods'?
Speaking at a conference in London on Monday 23 January Eiji Hirano, the assistant governor of the Bank of Japan, said the economy was "getting out of the woods".
BOJ alone cannot be responsible for recovery
According to this article published Thursday 19 January, it seems the Japanese government is putting the brakes on the economy while demanding the central bank press the accelerator.
Fukui upbeat on economic recovery
Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui increased expectations on Friday 20 January that the central bank could end its ultra-loose monetary policy soon, saying that his opinion on a policy shift had moved forward since December.
Policy shift will be 'headache' says Watanabe
Coping with higher interest rates will pose a "headache" for the Japanese economy, and the central bank is considering how to limit the impact on bonds, according to Hiroshi Watanabe, Japan's vice finance minister for international affairs, who was…
Will Japan target inflation in 2006?
According to this article published on Wednesday 18 January, despite its previous opposition, the Bank of Japan is now likely to find merit in the adoption of a formal inflation target, possibly in conjunction with the government.
Japan's Tanigaki: Central bank and govt must unite
Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki on Tuesday 17 January called for the government and Bank of Japan to put on a united front over monetary policy to avoid worrying investors.