Japan
Eisuke Sakakibara: Why inflation targets wont work
INTERVIEW - Those who advocate inflation targets have not presented any convincing scenarios of how inflation targeting would cause the prices of goods and services to increase. Setting an inflation target without laying out such a scenario would be…
Japan's Koizumi: Economic reforms need more time
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi insisted Friday there would be no financial crisis in the world's second-largest economy, promising tax cuts and pleading for time for reforms to work. He also said his Cabinet and the central bank were working…
Mizoguchi says Japan shares Fed view on US economy
Japan's top financial diplomat, Zembei Mizoguchi, said on Thursday that Japan shares the Federal Reserve's view on the U.S. economy, but said he had no comment on short-term moves in the forex market.
Inflation target may harm economy, says Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi, Japan's prime minister, on Wednesday appeared to back away from recent suggestions that he will appoint an inflation hawk at the Bank of Japan, saying an inflation target could harm the economy.
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 16 and 17 December 2002, released 27 January. Japan's Ministry of Finance pressured the BOJ to increase its monthly purchases of government bonds to two trillion yen ($16.97 billion)…
Japan's Shiokawa, Hayami disagree over yen policy
Japan's finance minister and its central bank chief clashed over exchange rate policy on Tuesday, with Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa supporting a weaker yen.
The next BOJ governor
ARTICLE - The article sets out some of the qualities the next governor of the Bank of Japan must have and says he should be selected with an eye to the future. But the door should be left open to all qualified persons, including ex-bureaucrats as well as…
Interview with Nobuyuki Nakahara
INTERVIEW - Currently an adviser to Japan's Financial Services Agency Nobuyuki Nakahara is a favourite to land the job of governor of the Bank of Japan in March. In the interview he said the introduction of a 1-3 per cent inflation target would serve as…
Koizumi moves away from inflation target idea
More LDP members oppose plans to have the Bank of Japan set price-increase goals. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is shying away from promoting inflation targets to fight falling prices amid rising calls from within the ruling party for Japan…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, January 2003
REPORT - The Bank of Japan published its Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments, January 2003, on 24 January. In its report the Bank maintained its assessment of the economy for the second straight month but warned of risks from…
Hayami, Japan's inflation target a reckless gamble
Japan's central bank governor Masaru Hayami said Friday the setting of an inflation target for Japan in an attempt to stop the long slide in prices would be a "reckless gamble". The comment comes at a time when the BOJ has faced pressure from some…
BOJ maintains static view of economy
The Bank of Japan has maintained its assessment of the economy for the second straight month in January but warned of risks from weak private consumption as well as flat exports and output.
Takenaka says govt, BOJ should share policy goal
Japanese Economics and Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka on Thursday called on the Bank of Japan to foster more growth in money supply and said the government and central bank should share a policy goal.
BOJ under pressure to target inflation
ARTICLE - As Hayami's term is about to come to an end speculation not only mounts as to his successor but whether the Bank of Japan should introduce an inflation target under the new leadership.
The folly of inflation targets
ARTICLE - This article says that the Bank of Japan should explain what it is intending to do to end deflation and that this will be the first step in defending its threatened independence.
Bank of Japan Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Announcement of the Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting decisions (unchanged), 22 January.
Koizumi calls for more 'effective' monetary policy
Junichiro Koizumi, Japan's prime minister, on Wednesday called on the Bank of Japan to adopt a more "effective" monetary policy but the central bank ignored his call, leaving its policy unchanged in a unanimous decision.
Extracts from an interview with Toshihiko Fukui
INTERVIEW - In an interview Toshihiko Fukui, a favourite to become the next governor of the Bank of Japan, says he has a great interest in inflation targeting. But if it was introduced it must be done in such a way as not to weaken discipline.
Japan, Indonesia agree currency swap deal
Japan and Indonesia have agreed on a bilateral rupiah-dollar swap arrangement aimed at ensuring stability in the currency market by supplying short-term liquidity, the two countries said in a joint statement.
Shiokawa puts deflation on center stage
Deflation is an issue for the entire government to tackle, Japan's Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Tuesday, reversing his earlier stance that the price declines of the last four years are the responsibility of the central bank.
Pace of Japanese deflation steadies
Japanese goods fell on average by 2 per cent in 2002, as the country's three-year deflation run continues.
BoJ hopeful introduces radical reflation proposal
With the name of the new governor of the Bank of Japan to be announced soon the battle is hotting up. On Sunday one of the favourites to land the job, Nobuyuki Nakahara, said the central bank should directly finance the government by Y5,000bn-Y10,000bn (…
World Bank backs Japan inflation targeting
James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, said on Thursday that it was sensible for Japan to use monetary policy to reverse deflation, amid debate among Japanese policymakers about the introduction of an inflation target. Outgoing BoJ governor…
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 18 and 19 November 2002, released 20 December. The nine member Policy Board considered that it was appropriate to maintain the current guideline for money market operations. Private…