Japan
Outlook and Risk Assessment, Economy and Prices
REPORT - Outlook and Risk Assessment of the Economy and Prices, April 2002 as determined by the Policy Board at the Monetary Policy Meeting held on 30 April 2002 by the Bank of Japan.
Speech by Kazuo Ueda of the Bank of Japan, 24 Apr
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'Structural Problems and the Effectiveness of Monetary Policy' Ueda said that Japan was still suffering from mild deflation, and that domestic economic activity remained dormant. "Domestic demand remains weak in contrast to…
IMF official-Japan ought to adopt inflation target
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan needs to adopt an inflation target to stop price falls within 12-18 months, an International Monetary Fund official said Tuesday.
Hayami - 'Stupid' to ask me if about to resign
JAPAN - Bank of Japan Governor Masaru Hayami shot down speculation that he might resign before his five year term ends next March.
Russia issues world cup commemorative coins
RUSSIA - The Central Bank 5 May will introduce commemorative gold and silver coins in denominations of 3 and 50 rubles to commemorate this summer's World Cup football (soccer) finals in Japan and South Korea.
Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies
RESEARCH - Research papers from the Bank of Japan, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies (2002), released 18 April.
Japan lawmaker says BOJ chief not worth his salt
FEATURE - Is a central bank governor who has been unable to halt a three-year decline in prices or prevent the longest recession in decades worth his salt - particularly when his paycheck is 38.43 million yen ($293,000) a year?
Speech by Masaru Hayami, Bank of Japan, 17 Apr
SPEECH - Statement by Masaru Hayami, Governor of the Bank of Japan, concerning the Bank's Semiannual Report on Currency and Monetary Control before the Committee on Financial Affairs, House of Representatives, on April 17 2002.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report - English text
REPORT - Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments from the Bank of Japan, April 2002. Full English text available 15 April.
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes from the meeting of 28 February, released 16 April.
Japan's credit rating lowest among G-7 nations
US - Japan's credit ratings were cut to "AA-" by Standard & Poor's, the third reduction in 14 months for the world's second-biggest economy.
BOJ voted 8-1 to maintain target on 28 Feb
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's Policy Board, at its 28 February meeting, voted 8-1 to maintain the target for financial institutions' current account deposits at the central bank at 10 trillion to 15 trillion yen, the BOJ said Tuesday.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report April 2002
REPORT - Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments, April 2002. The English translation of the full text will be available on 15 April.
Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meetings, 11 April
NEWS RELEASE - At the Monetary Policy Meeting held today, the Bank of Japan decided, by unanimous vote, to maintain the following guideline for money market operations for the intermeeting period:
Japan cautioned by IMF on deflation fight
JAPAN - The International Monetary Fund Tuesday cautioned the Japanese Government not to slacken its efforts to combat deflation and structural problems, warning that additional steps were necessary to combat serious weaknesses in the world's second…
New BOJ policy members tread conventional lines
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's newly appointed board members adopted a conventional line on monetary policy in their debut public appearance on Friday, in stark contrast to a maverick pro-easing member whom they replaced.
Agency under attack over bad debts in Japan
JAPAN - Japan has been too slow to clear up the bad debt problem plaguing its banking sector, Masajuro Shiokawa, finance minister, has said.
Japan prices to keep falling gradually - Hayami
JAPAN - Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Masaru Hayami said on Thursday he expected prices to continue to fall gradually as the economy deteriorated further although pressure from weak exports and excess inventories was easing.
Japan Lower House approves new BOJ board members
JAPAN - Japan's powerful Lower House of parliament on Thursday approved the appointment of two businessmen to the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy-setting board, to replace members whose terms expired at the end of March.
BOJ to cut retirement money for its directors
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan (BOJ) said Friday it will cut retirement allowances for all its directors in line with the government's recent decision on pay cuts for executives of public corporations.
Hayami - Financial system conditions remain severe
JAPAN - The condition of the Japanese financial system remains severe and the Bank of Japan will do its utmost to ensure financial stability, BOJ governor Masaru Hayami said Tuesday.
Bank of Japan Tankan Report
REPORT - Bank of Japan Tankan Report, published 2 April 2002.
Japan's tankan survey shows economy nearing upturn
JAPAN - Corporate confidence in Japan stopped falling for the first time in five quarters in March but was still weak, a widely watched central bank survey showed on Monday, pointing to a modest economic rebound from June.
Tokyo, Beijing sign currency-swap deal
JAPAN - The Japanese government signed a currency-swap agreement with China on 28 March.