Economics

BOJ's Kuroda Starts New Term With Fresh Commitment to Easing

  • BOJ removes projected timing for reaching 2% inflation
  • Kuroda says change doesn’t alter commitment to hitting target
The BOJ is "losing confidence" about its 2 percent target, says former monetary policy board member Sayuri Shirai.Source: Bloomberg
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Governor Haruhiko Kuroda began his new term at the Bank of Japan much as he did the first one -- emphasizing his commitment to hitting 2 percent inflation.

The BOJ left its policy settings intact, vowing to push ahead with stimulus even as other major central banks move further toward policy normalization, though at a moderating pace amid signs of slowing economic growth. Still there was a twist -- not uncommon in Kuroda’s tenure -- as the BOJ’s policy statement omitted mention of the projected time frame for hitting his longstanding 2 percent target.