Japan
BOJ's Taya, Nakahara opposed increasing stock buys
Documents obtained by Reuters on Friday through Japan's freedom of information laws show that Bank of Japan board members Teizo Taya and Shin Nakahara opposed the decision under which the central bank increased the amount of stocks it purchases directly…
Shiokawa says he, Fukui aren't worried about bonds
Speaking in Tokyo Wednesday after a meeting with Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said he agreed with Fukui that there is not much concern that long-term rates have risen a little bit, Bloomberg reported.
BOJ's Fukui affirms vow to keep rates near to zero
Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui has said the BOJ will continue to keep interest rates close to zero until consumer prices become positive, Bloomberg reported. The comment comes after bond yields more than doubled since June 11 as hopes for an…
BOJ is watching bond yields 'closely' Suda says
Bank of Japan board member Miyako Suda said in a speech that the BoJ is closely watching the bond market but it will take time to assess the effect of asset prices on the economy, according to a report by Bloomberg.
BoJ Monetary Policy minutes, 19 and 20 May
Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 19 and 20 May 2003, released 30 June. With respect to domestic demand, corporate profits were recovering, and if exports and production resumed their upward trend, business fixed investment was…
Bank of Japan survey shows business sentiment up
The Bank of Japan's "tankan" survey released on Tuesday 1 July suggested that managers in Japan were becoming more optimistic, Associated Press reports, with large companies planning to boost capital expenditure by 4.9 percent this fiscal year.
BoJ's purchases of asset-backed securities
the Bank of Japan has decided to establish Principal Terms and Conditions for the outright purchases of asset-backed securities, 25 June.
Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting
At its monetary policy meeting held on 25 June the Bank of Japan unanimously decided to maintain current guidelines.
BoJ's Muto on challenges facing Japan's economy
In a speech on 'Structural Changes in the World Economy and Challenges Facing Japan's Economy' Toshiro Muto of the Bank of Japan said as of now at least it is hard to say that we are sufficiently equipped, considering the several constraints surrounding…
BoJ Monetary Policy minutes, 30 April
Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 30 April 2003, released 16 June. The minutes showed at least two of the BoJ's nine policy board members favour the introduction of a "reference rate of inflation" to halt deflation.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, June 2003
The Bank of Japan published its Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments, June 2003, on 13 June. In the report the BOJ said public investment is projected to follow a declining trend, and private consumption is likely to remain weak…
Japan's support for inflation targeting grows
Minutes of the Bank of Japan's April meeting published on Monday 16 June showed that at least two of the BoJ's nine policy board members favour the introduction of a "reference rate of inflation" to halt deflation, according to a report in the Financial…
Fukui speech to Euro 50 Group Roundtable
In his keynote speech to the Euro 50 Group roundtable Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said the Bank of Japan stands on the front line of the war against deflation. However, we have used up the greatest weapon in a central bank's arsenal, thus, in…
Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting, 11 June
The Bank of Japan announced unchanged guidelines at the end of its two day meeting on 11 June.
Japan's central bank to buy securities
The Bank of Japan has decided to buy asset-backed securities, according to a Reuters report. Before this it had restricted its purchases to government bonds, which carry less risk than securities. The bank said the scheme could start as early as next…
BOJ's Fukui may detail plan to buy corporate debt
Governor of the Bank of Japan Toshihiko Fukui is likely to spell out this week details of a plan to buy corporate debt to make it easier for companies to borrow, according to Bloomberg News.
More dynamic BOJ sees off media critics
Senior BOJ staff professes themselves pleased with the public relations impact of the more active communications strategy followed since Toshihiko Fukui took over from Hayami-san as governor in March. "Even Yomiuri Shimbun has stopped criticizing us,"…
Kreuger gloomy in Tokyo
IMF deputy managing director, Anne Kreuger brought a gloomy message to Tokyo on June 4. She commented "The outlook is for continued sluggish economic growth and for deflation to remain entrenched. At the same time, a major concern is the rapidly rising…
Bank of Japan subscription to the Asian Bond Fund
The Bank of Japan has decided to subscribe to the Asian Bond Fund offered by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), 2 June.
Fed's Bernanke on monetary policy in Japan
In a speech on 'Some Thoughts on Monetary Policy in Japan' Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve said the US economy does not face an immediate threat of deflation but slowing inflation means the major world economies must remain on guard. On the Japanese…
Deflation is a "matter of national choice"
In an article published in the Financial Times Avinash Persaud says attempts by the Japanese to inflate their economy fail because Japan is a nation of creditors.
Japan conducts record FX intervention
May saw the Bank of Japan's largest ever monthly intervention in the foreign exchange markets using Y3,900bn to halt the Yen's rise, the Financial Times reported.
Fukui statement to the House of Representatives
In his statement concerning the Bank's Semiannual Report on Currency and Monetary Control Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said the bank believes that the existing economic model, which supported Japan's postwar economic growth, needs to be replaced,…
BoJ Monetary Policy minutes, April 7 & 8
Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 7 and 8 April 2003, released 23 May. The majority of members agreed that it was appropriate to maintain the current stance in the guideline for money market operations, and continue to provide…