Category: Bank of Japan

Federal Reserve Collaborates With Other Central Banks to Establish Liquidity Measures

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Sunday that it is collaborating with some of the world’s largest central banks to enhance liquidity provision by strengthening the standing of U.S. dollar liquidity swap line arrangements. The central banks will increase the frequency of seven-day maturity operations from weekly to daily to improve the effectiveness of the…


Federal Reserve, Other Central Banks Announce Joint Liquidity Measures

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Sunday that it is collaborating with some of the world’s largest central banks to enhance liquidity provision by strengthening the standing of U.S. dollar liquidity swap line arrangements. The central banks will increase the frequency of seven-day maturity operations from weekly to daily to improve the effectiveness of the…


Bank of Japan’s Next Chief Says Monetary Easing Policy Still Necessary

Bank of Japan (BOJ) governor nominee Kazuo Ueda said on Friday that maintaining Japan’s monetary easing policy is necessary to support the economy, despite the side effects it has on financial intermediation. At a confirmation hearing in parliament, Ueda said that he believed it is “appropriate” to continue monetary easing to achieve the bank’s 2…


Bank of Japan Shocks Financial Markets—but Will It Impact the Global Economy?

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) shocked Asian financial markets on Tuesday when it widened caps for a benchmark government bond yield.  The central bank announced that it would permit the yield curve on the 10-year Japanese government bond to range 50 basis points on either side of its 0.0 percent target (pdf). This is up…


Bank of Japan Widens Yield Curve Control Band, Triggering Jump in Yen

The Japanese yen rose 3 percent against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) modified its yield curve control (YCC) band, allowing long-term government bond yields to trade in a wider range. The BOJ has decided to raise Japan’s 10-year government bond yields from 25 basis points to 50 basis points…


Tokyo’s Consumer Price Index Hits Highest Level Since 1982

Consumer prices in Japan’s capital, Tokyo, rose 3.6 percent in November from the previous year, the fastest pace since 1982, owing to a weaker yen and higher energy prices, government data showed on Nov. 25. Tokyo’s core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes fresh food items, exceeded the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) 2 percent target…


Japan Maintains Monetary Easing Despite Inflation Reaching 40-Year High

Japan’s core consumer inflation rose 3.6 percent in October, the highest level in 40 years, driven by a weaker yen and rising import costs as the central bank kept its monetary easing policy in place. The nationwide core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food items, exceeded the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ’s) 2…


Japan Remains the Only Major Economy to Maintain Negative Interest Rates

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has decided to keep its interest rates below zero, and thus is the only major economy to do so while other key central banks raise interest rates in a bid to curb inflation. Since 2016, Japan’s central bank has maintained its key interest rate at negative 0.1 percent. On Oct….


BOJ Seen Sticking to Ultra-Low Rates, Defy Global Rate Hike Rush

TOKYO—The Bank of Japan is set to maintain ultra-low interest rates and its dovish policy guidance on Thursday, a decision that comes hours after its U.S. counterpart’s expected big rate hike and could trigger a fresh bout of yen selling. The policy gap between the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the U.S. Federal Reserve has…


On Japan’s Inflation

Japan has long been regarded as a sunset empire with lost decades: Inflation has always been low while the Bank of Japan (BoJ, central bank) is reluctant to reverse the ultra-easing monetary policy. Then the Japanese Yen has been free falling against the U.S. Dollar as well as other major currencies. But look at the…