Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami said Jan. 23 that an instruction issued to bank executives to study ways to boost liquidity in the nation's money market does not mean the central bank will take additional quantitative monetary easing measures any time soon. He also said the instruction should not be taken as a sign that the bank will return to its zero-interest-rate policy, which was abandoned in August 2000.

Hayami, who made the comments at a press conference, indicated the bank would maintain