Bank of Japan (BoJ)
Japan should encourage female labour participation, says IMF paper
Working paper says higher female labour market participation could deflect demographic pressures in Japan; challenges remain, but good policy can go some way to addressing them
Shirakawa proposes tackling financial stability as a ‘public good problem’
Bank of Japan governor, Masaaki Shirakawa, says an optimal solution to create the conditions needed for financial stability could be achieved by reviewing the challenge as a ‘public good problem’
IMF meeting set to reinforce global pessimism
Governments need to take urgent policy action to capitalise on the ‘breathing space’ created by central banks. But few attending the IMF meeting in Tokyo believe law-makers are fit for the task
BoJ deputy champions regional regulation
Kiyohiko Nishimura questions how to best spread a regulatory framework across the globe; says regional heterogeneity is an important consideration
IMF says urgent action required in eurozone
Fund’s Global Financial Stability Report highlights progress with reforms in Europe but warns risks have increased since April; says eurozone policy-makers must act quickly to ensure stability
Adaptability key to stability, says Shirakawa
Bank of Japan governor reviews the main roles of central banks and says adaptability is now crucial to achieving other goals
BoJ Tankan documents fall in business confidence
Tankan short-term economic survey reports drop in business confidence across all business sizes but fall not as severe as expected in small and medium-sized enterprises
BoJ’s Yamaguchi fears asset purchase backlash
Bank of Japan deputy governor says asset purchases may be misinterpreted as fiscal monetisation; could impact market’s confidence and interest rate levels
Robert Pringle’s Viewpoint: Central bankers gamble for high stakes
The world’s major central banks have made high-stakes bets in a bid to stabilise economies. But their efforts may do little to promote confidence in the longer-term future of monetary management
BoJ expands asset purchase programme
Japanese policy board votes to increase purchases of government bonds and treasury bills; Bank of Mauritius governor highlights risk to central bank reserves from further asset purchases
Shirakawa calls for increase in Japan’s potential for growth
Bank of Japan governor says monetary easing has created accommodative financial conditions; calls for private sector to take advantage
BoJ officials took pay cuts in wake of natural disaster
Annual review shows officers at Bank of Japan took pay cuts to support rebuilding efforts following 2011 earthquake; central bank sees increase in profits
BoJ’s Morimoto outlines ways to combat deflation
Yoshihisa Morimoto emphasises importance of ‘capturing’ demand to overcome deflation; says CPI is currently at 0% but is expected to rise towards 1% target in fiscal 2013
Japan’s Nishimura says UK Funding for Lending scheme needs time to work
Kiyohiko Nishimura discusses unorthodox policies central banks have been turning to; believes the BoE’s Funding for Lending scheme will take a long time to have “concrete benefits”
Can Japan afford to grow?
Japan has managed to maintain living standards during its two ‘lost decades’, but its efforts to do so now represent obstacles to achieving sustainable growth. By Ryo Watabe.
China is entering crisis “danger zone”, says BoJ’s Nishimura
High real estate prices and an aging demographic profile in China are reaching a stage where they could trigger a financial crisis, says Bank of Japan deputy governor Kiyohiko Nishimura
Japan seeks changes to Dodd-Frank extraterritoriality on swaps
The Japanese authorities have asked their US counterpart to reconsider extraterritorial rules on swaps and defer regulation of cross-border over-the-counter derivatives regulation for at least a year
BoJ unveils international investment position in 2011
Japanese central bank research paper shows a rise in country’s net assets; both external financial assets and external liabilities increase
BoJ minutes reveal cautious positivity about global risks
Minutes of Bank of Japan’s July monetary policy meeting shows some optimism over global risks; members vote unanimously to hold rates and adjust asset purchases
Japan holds rates and delays disbursement of fund provision
Bank of Japan maintains benchmark rate at near zero; puts off first issuance of fund provision due to reform plans for Libor
Bank of Japan economic survey finds slight reduction in pessimism
Quarterly survey of public opinion about Japanese economy finds reduction in respondents expecting economy to worsen; only small proportion of respondents anticipate improvement in conditions
IMF paper warns against delays in Japanese fiscal consolidation
Working paper studies impact of budget deficit in Japan on intergenerational inequality; finds delaying budget cuts would adversely affect younger generations
PBoC, BoJ and Bank of Korea governors meet in China
Central bank governors meet to discuss economic and financial issues in the three countries; yearly meeting held as part of efforts to strengthen co-operation and communication