BOJ ready to act boldly to support economy: deputy governor

TOKYO: The Bank of Japan will act boldly and flexibly when necessary to support the economy, its deputy governor said, signaling readiness to expand stimulus even after last week's monetary easing as the pain from China's slowdown and Europe's debt crisis persist.

The central bank eased policy last week by boosting bond purchases because manufacturing activity in many countries had weakened more than expected, hitting Japanese exports and factory output, BOJ Deputy Governor Hirohide Yamaguchi said.