Japan
Tanigaki says G7 statement likely unchanged
Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said the tone of the communique to be issued at the Group of Seven meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors will likely be little changed from last year's, Jiji Press reported.
Japan sees G7 currency stance staying unchanged
There is likely to be be no call for a change in global foreign exchange rates, a senior Japanese finance ministry official said on Tuesday 1 February.
Wellink says Asia can't maintain dollar buying
Asian central banks cannot continue buying up US dollars forever and the US will have to take action to cut its budget deficit, European Central Bank governing council member Nout Wellink said on Wednesday 26 January.
BoJ likely to lower price forecast says Mizuno
Bank of Japan board member Atsushi Mizuno said that the central bank will probably drop its October forecast that consumer prices will have an increase next fiscal year for the first time in eight years.
Japan, Thailand agree bilateral swap arrangement
The Bank of Japan, acting as the agent of the Minister of Finance of Japan, and the Bank of Thailand agreed to reach the second bilateral swap arrangement under the Chiang Mai Initiative of the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers' Process, the Bank of Japan said…
BOJ deputy says deflation end may be delayed
Deputy Bank of Japan Governor Toshiro Muto has indicated in an interview that the Japanese economy may move out of deflation later than the central bank has forecasted.
Bank of Japan Minutes, 16 & 17 Dec 2004
The Bank of Japan's minutes from its 16 and 17 December Monetary Policy meeting revealed that board members see four negative side-effects of the BoJ's current super-loose credit policy.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, January 2005
The Bank of Japan released the English version of its January 2005 monthly report on 21 January. The report said that the Japanese economy will continue recovering despite some soft patches, leaving its view unchanged from December.
Takenaka says Japan 'no longer in post-bubble era'
Japan's economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka said the world's second largest economy is "no longer in the post-bubble era," the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.
OECD sees high yen as a risk for Japan recovery
The OECD said in a report on the Japanese economy published on Thursday 20 January that the sharp appreciation of the yen poses a big risk to Japan's already sluggish economic recovery, and that the Bank of Japan should remain focused on ending deflation.
BoJ's Fukui says exchange rate movements unsteady
Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui said Tuesday currency exchange rate movements have become unsteady, suggesting the possibility that Japanese monetary authorities may resume intervening in the currency market.
Takanaka: BOJ, gov must work together on deflation
The Japanese government and central bank need to work together to end deflation, Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Heizo Takenaka said on Monday 17 January after a cabinet meeting in Tokyo.
Fukui: Zero-rate policy will become more effective
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui told a meeting in Tokyo on Thursday 13 January that the zero-rate policy will become more effective as the economy extends a recovery.
Fukui at the 100th anniversary of BoJ's NY office
In a speech at the reception for the 100th anniversary of the Bank of Japan Representative Office in New York given on 6 January, Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said that it seems to him that Japan is once again well poised to contribute positively…
Bank of Japan Minutes, 17 &18 Nov 2004
The Bank of Japan's minutes from its 17 and 18 November 2004 Monetary Policy meeting revealed that members concurred that Japan's economy continued to recover as a whole, although the increase in exports and production seemed to be coming to a pause…
Fukui: A tale of two cities for a central banker
In the speech 'A tale of two cities in the eyes of a central banker' given on 6 January, Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said the BOJ has a "very firm" commitment to the market and to the general public to maintain the policy of expanding Japan's…
More work needed on deflation, says Tanigaki
Japan's Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki told a press conference on Friday 7 January that more effort is needed to stop Japan's falling consumer prices and pledged to continue cooperating with the Bank of Japan to end deflation.
Iwata on Japan's economy under demographic changes
In a speech on 'Japan's economy under demographic changes' given on 7 December, Kazumasa Iwata of the Bank of Japan said for a central bank that is striving to overcome deflation, the ageing issue of society presents a challenging task, because it…
Bank of Japan's monthly economic report - December
The Bank of Japan said that the economy was continuing on a recovery trend although there were weak spots, notably in production.
How far must US dollar fall?
A new paper, entitled "How much depreciation of the US dollar for sustainability of the current accounts?" by Eiji Ogawa and Takeshi Kudo of Hitotsubashi University Research Unit considers various scenarios for the future path of the dollar.
Japanese experts comment on dollar prospects
Three Japanese experts gave their views on the dollar yen exchange rate and the prospect of central bank intervention at a panel discussion on December 17. The dollar has further to fall, they suggested, but Asian central banks will not liquidate their…
Bank of Japan downgrades economic assessment
The Bank of Japan downgraded its assessment of the country's sluggish economy on Friday in its latest monthly report, while the central bank's governor said steel shortages were compounding the economic slowdown.
Bank of Japan, a role model for the ECB?
This article looks at recent comments from Gerhard Schroder that Europe "can learn something from Japan and its great monetary policy." Japan is the only major industrialized economy in the past 70 years to experience prolonged deflation and now its much…
BoJs Fukui says economic growth slowdown temporary
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said in a speech on Monday 13 December that the growth of the economy is slowing down, but only temporarily.