Japan
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 30 October 2002, released 20 December. Consumer prices continued to decline by slightly less than 1 percent year on year. The pace of year-on-year decline in the Consumer Price Index…
Japan's Takenaka seeks new relationship with BOJ
Japan's Economics and Financial Services Minister, Heizo Takenaka, said on Wednesday a new relationship is needed between his government and the Bank of Japan for a common goal on policy targets.
Takenaka upbeat on Japan growth after Bank reform
Japan's economy and banking minister said Tuesday the economy could eventually return to growth as high as 2.5% after a slow-growth period of painful reform. Heizo Takenaka spoke at the Australian National University and maintained pressure on the Bank…
New face to front foreign exchange policy in Japan
Zembei Mizoguchi became Japan's new voice on foreign exchange policy Tuesday, taking on the tough task of deciding when and by how much to intervene in the market to halt a rapid rise in the yen, analysts said. Speculation also mounted that Haruhiko…
BOJ Hayami: Decision on successor not imminent
The appointment of the next Bank of Japan (BOJ) governor is not imminent, and it will take some time for a decision to be reached, current governor Masaru Hayami was quoted as saying on Monday. On Friday we reported how there were conflicting statements…
Interview - McKibbin backs old friend Takenaka
INTERVIEW - In an interview given Monday Reserve Bank of Australia board member Warwick McKibbin supported his 'old friend' Japanese Economics Minister Heizo Takenaka's campaign to unite the government and central bank to fight deflation.
BoJ can take bolder measures: Takenaka
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) could take more radical action to boost the ailing economy such as setting an inflation target, Financial Services and Economy Minister Heizo Takenaka said on Friday.
Japan nears crucial decision on new BOJ governor
ARTICLE - The Japanese government looks set to announce within days who will be the next governor of the central bank, one of the most crucial appointments it will make in its efforts to revive the struggling economy.
Taya on recent economic developments in Japan
SPEECH - In the speech 'Recent Economic and Financial Developments and Monetary Policy in Japan' Teizo Taya of the Bank of Japan said that in his opinion the Bank of Japan should not introduce an inflation target. Although efforts to increase the money…
BOJ's Hayami to attend BIS meeting in Basel
Bank of Japan Governor Masaru Hayami is due to visit Basel, Switzerland, from Friday to attend a meeting of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the central bank said.
Japan cleanup push may not spur policy offensive
Sources familiar with central bank thinking say the BOJ views the disposal of bad loans as Japan's most significant domestic economic issue but doesn't expect the impact of the disposal process will be severe.
Nakahara on the challenges facing Japan's economy
SPEECH - In the speech 'The Challenges Facing Japan's Economy and the Monetary Policy Response' Shin Nakahara of the Bank of Japan said Japan must rebuild itself, taking full advantage of its accumulated stock. He describes Japan's current problem saying…
Takenaka says govt expectations of BOJ 'very high'
Japan's Financial Services and Economics Minister Heizo Takenaka said on Tuesday that the government is working hard to overcome deflation and its expectations for the Bank of Japan's policies are "very high".
Bank of Japan: Losing independence?
ARTICLE - This article looks at the recent initiatives by the Bank of Japan but says the BOJ's independence may be slipping as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and members of his economic team want a greater say in BOJ policy-making.
Call for Bank of Japan to adopt inflation target
The Japanese government will urge the Bank of Japan to adopt an inflation target, an influential member of the ruling Liberal Democratic party said Sunday. The comments follow those of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda who said last week that an…
Report to show Japan's banks failing capital test
A comprehensive study of Japan's financial system being carried out by the International Monetary Fund will reveal that the capital adequacy of a number of Japanese banks falls below international requirements, according to a former IMF economist.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, December 2002
REPORT - The Bank of Japan published its Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments, December 2002, on 19 December. In its report the Bank says "Japan's economy has stabilised as a whole, but there is still substantial uncertainty…
Bank of Japan says recovery not expected soon
The Bank of Japan Wednesday left its core economic assessment for December unchanged from November in its December monthly report, repeating that Japan's economy has bottomed but there is strong uncertainty over the economy's future course.
BOJ keeps monetary policy steady
The Bank of Japan kept its monetary policy unchanged on Tuesday but stepped up its support for the funding of small businesses in an effort to prevent banking sector paralysis from causing an economic crisis.
Race for BOJ job heats up, private sector favoured
The article suggests that Nobuyuki Nakahara, a recent member of the Bank of Japan's policy board may be in line for the job of governor when Hayami steps down early next year. Nakahara was noted for favouring radical easing policies.
Bank of Japan Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Announcement of the Monetary Policy Meeting, 17 December.
BoJ needs deflation fighter: Koizumi
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi wants the replacement for Bank of Japan governor Masaru Hayami to focus on combating the economy's persistent deflation.
Interview - Toshihiko Fukui, former dep gov of BoJ
INTERVIEW - The Bank of Japan will maintain a bias toward easing monetary policy to avert any concerns of tightening liquidity in financial markets and promote expectations of a stable financial environment, a front-runner in the race to be the next BOJ…
Bank of Japan optimistic in Tankan report
The business outlook among Japanese companies improved in the October-December quarter, although that sentiment is not expected to last in months ahead, according to a central bank survey released Friday by the Bank of Japan.