Japan
Japanese hoarding gold as economic anxiety persist
FEATURE - While Japan has had the world's fastest-growing major stock market this year and the yen has jumped nearly 3 percent against the dollar in the last month, a small but growing number of Japanese investors are preparing for the worst and hoarding…
Speech by Yutaka Yamaguchi, Bank of Japan, 7 Mar
JAPAN - In the speech Yamaguchi offers his views on systemic risk conceding that he may have raised more questions than provided answers for central banks. He stresses that central banks must continue to pursue these issues to discharge their…
Tokyo sees light at end of tunnel
JAPAN - Japan's longest recession since 1993 may be slowly coming to an end as inventories are run down and companies gear up for a faster-than-expected US and European recovery, according to Heizo Takenaka, economics minister.
Japan to name two businessmen to BOJ board-sources
JAPAN - The Japanese government has provisionally decided to name two businessmen to the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy-setting board to replace members whose terms expire at the end of the month, according to sources, Reuters reports Tuesday.
Shiokawa - New anti-deflation steps to be concrete
JAPAN - A new round of anti-deflation steps being prepared by Japan's ruling coalition will likely flesh out the plan to combat falling prices already announced by the government, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Tuesday.
The Japanese economy - Buying time
FEATURE - The Japanese government's latest package of emergency measures to prop up the ailing economy will not meet its goal of reining in the crippling deflation afflicting the nation's battered companies and debt-paralysed banks. But it will likely…
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes from the 15 and 16 January, released 5 March.
Speech by Shin Nakahara, Bank of Japan, 20 Feb
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'State of Japan's Economy and Policy Measures' Nakahara said the Bank of Japan may have to resort to unconventional policy steps if falling prices and economic deterioration spiral out of control.
BOJ minutes - Board voted 8-1 to keep policy
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's policy board members voted 8-1 to keep monetary policy unchanged at their meeting on 15-16 January, according to the minutes of the meeting released Tuesday.
Japan pledges economy boost
JAPAN - Japan has promised another package of measures to continue its fight against deflation and steer the economy to recovery.
Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Decisions
PRESS RELEASE - At the Monetary Policy Meeting held on 28 February, the Bank of Japan decided, by majority vote, to set the following guideline for money market operations for the intermeeting period.
Koizumi urged to raise spending and change cabinet
JAPAN - Senior members of Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic party, emboldened by signs of further erosion in his public popularity, Sunday urged the Japanese prime minister to ditch fiscal restraint and to change cabinet personnel.
Koizumi criticised for slow pace of reform
JAPAN - A key adviser to Japan's Junichiro Koizumi yesterday criticised the prime minister for lacking concrete plans for structural reform and failing to implement the pledges he made on coming to office in April.
Journal of Economics and Business paper
RESEARCH - The stock market performance of the central banks of Belgium and Japan by Lawrence G. Goldberg and Rezaul Kabir.
Nikkei soars ahead of deflation plan
JAPAN - Japan's top economic policy makers are meeting to finalise moves to curb spiralling deflation and stabilise the stock market.
Bank of Japan research paper
RESEARCH - Research from the Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan. Japan's Financial System: Its Perspective and the Authorities' Roles in Redesigning and Administering the System. By Naohiko Baba and Takamasa Hisada, February 2002.
Japan urged to adopt British-style economic reform
UK - The British government will today urge Japan to press ahead with privatisation and other structural reforms as the best way to pull the country out of its deepening economic crisis.
Draft deflation plan set to disappoint
JAPAN - Fears are growing that the Japanese government's latest plan to revive the economy will fall short of expectations.
Japan govt looks to great depression for econ fix
ARTICLE - More than a decade of economic stagnation, marked by financial crisis and deflation that brings the economy to its knees. Then, remarkably, a rapid recovery after a debt-buying binge by the central bank.
Press Briefing by the IMF's Anne Krueger
PRESS BRIEFING - Transcript of a Press Briefing (Luncheon) on Japan by Anne O. Krueger, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Tokyo, Japan, 25 January - Published 21 February.
Speech by Nobuyuki Nakahara, Bank of Japan, 11 Dec
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The Japanese Economy and Monetary Policy in a Deflationary Environment' Nakahara said the central bank should take radical monetary steps, including buying 200 billion yen ($1.59 billion) a month of foreign bonds or using…
Tokyo plays down prospect of bank boost
JAPAN - The Japanese government yesterday played down speculation that it was preparing a large capital injection into the wobbly banking system before the end of next month, when a government blanket guarantee on bank deposits will be lifted.
Speech by Miyako Suda of the Bank of Japan, 5 Nov
SPEECH - Based on a speech given by Miyako Suda, Member of the Policy Board, at the Meeting on Economic and Financial Matters in Saitama on November 5, 2001. It is a translated and revised version of the Japanese text released in November. Released 25…
Reform fears hit Tokyo markets
Japan - Two Japanese economy ministers have dashed hopes of an injection of public money into Japan's ailing banking system.