Japan
Bank of Japan to be restructured
The Bank of Japan faces major restructuring in July, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Tuesday, with reforms to personnel policies and salaries intended to increase efficiency.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, June 2004
According to the Bank of Japan's June Monthly Report the Japanese economy is "gathering strong momentum" and continues to recover, increased production and corporate profits are having a positive effect on employment, it said.
BOJ's Muto says closely watching long term rates
The Bank of Japan is closely watching rising long-term interest rates to see if they affect the world's second-largest economy, Toshiro Muto, one of the bank's two deputy governors, said in a speech.
Rapid rate rise not good for economy - Tanigaki
Japan's Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said a rapid rise in long-term interest rates may harm Japan's economic recovery, Jiji Press reported.
Japan economy on recovery road, says Takenaka
Japan's Economic and Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka said on Sunday 13 June that the rise in JGB yields reflected an expectation of further economic recovery. Separately Masakazu Hayashi told a news conference the government wanted the Bank of…
Fukui says rate rises reflect changing price trend
The recent surge in Japanese long-term interest rates reflects the changing trend of prices, but deflationary pressures remain within the Japanese economy, said Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui, according to Kyodo News.
Japan's Muto on the cyclical recovery
In a speech on 'What lies beyond this cyclical recovery?' given on 7 June, Toshiro Muto of the Bank of Japan said Japan's economy is still facing many challenges, particularly in the long run. On the other hand, prospects of a continued economic recovery…
BOJ, govt closer on economic policy says Takenaka
Japan's government and central bank now have closer ties, Economics and Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka said on Monday 7 June, citing a recent agreement among policymakers that by some views demands more accountability from the Bank of Japan.
BOJ's Haru cautious on possible rise in JGB yields
Bank of Japan Policy Board member Hidehiko Haru said on Thursday 3 June that it was expected that interest rates on Japanese government bonds to rise in line with an economic recovery but that an excessive jump may be harmful.
Fukui says Japan's prices to continue decline
Toshihiko Fukui said on Thursday 3 June that rises in wholesales prices were being largely absorbed by higher productivity, and that consumer prices would remain negative for some time.
BOJ's Muto says unclear when deflation will end
A Bank of Japan official said on Tuesday 1 June that it was unclear when deflation in Japan would end and that the central bank would maintain its quantitative easing policy for a "considerable time".
BOJ's Suda: Start planning exit policy
The Bank of Japan's Miyako Suda said this month that the BOJ should start planning an exit from its ultra-loose policy, according to a report of her speech.
BOJ reports loss for first time in 32 years
The Bank of Japan reported a current loss of 22.2 billion yen ($200 million) for the year ended March 31, as the yen's 13-percent gain against the dollar caused losses on foreign currency-denominated assets and bond prices fell.
Bank of Japan's MP Meeting Minutes, April 04
The Bank of Japan released the minutes from its 8 and 9 April Monetary Policy Meeting on 25 May. Some Policy Board members said domestic long-term interest rates needed close monitoring and cited the risk of long-term interest rates rising before there…
Is inflation Japan's next battle?
This article on the IHT's site asks when the Bank of Japan will shift from a quantity theory approach to monetary policy and revert to using interest rate policy. That a change is being considered was hinted at last week by the bank's governor, Toshihiko…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, May 2004
The BOJ maintained its cautiously optimistic assessment in the report and said that overseas economies were expected to continue growing relatively fast, adding that the recovery of Japanese exports, corporate investment and production were likely to…
Tanigaki tells G7 Japan is working on debt
Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said that he told Group of Seven nations and Russia that Japan will try harder to control the expansion of its public debt.
BoJ and govt agree to watch interest rates
Top government and central bank officials agreed in a meeting on Friday 21 May that they should carefully watch interest rates, Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Toshiro Muto said.
IMF may raise growth forecast for Japan
The International Monetary Fund said on Friday 21 May that it is likely to raise its forecast for Japan's economic growth from its current estimate of 3.4 percent for this year when it issues its next global economic outlook.
Bank of Japan maintains optimistic assessment
The Bank of Japan maintained its cautiously optimistic assessment of the economy in its latest monthly report, despite robust GDP data announced earlier in the week.
Government and BOJ to co-op on deflation
The Japanese Government and central bank will work together to end deflation and support a recovery in the world's second-largest economy, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki told Asian counterparts in South Korea.
Bank of Japan names new executive director
Nobuo Inaba, director-general of the Bank of Japan's Bank Examination and Surveillance Department, will be promoted to executive director, replacing outgoing Takahiro Mitani, bank officials said on Saturday 8 May.
Japanese economy on right path says Tanigaki
Speaking on Friday 14 May, Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said that Japanese economic conditions were broadly positive at the moment despite some turbulence on the stock market.
Fukui on economic growth and overcoming deflation
In the speech 'Achieving Sustainable Economic Growth and Overcoming Deflation' given on 13 May Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said the BOJ will continue its extremely easy monetary policy in order to support private sector efforts to deal with…