BoJ policymaker sees no need for immediate easing

"Given price growth and inflation expectations aren't heightening much, it's necessary to maintain sufficiently low rates for a prolonged period to achieve the BOJ's price target," Funo(pic) said in a speech to business leaders in Hiroshima, western Japan

HIROSHIMA: The Bank of Japan (BoJ) does not need to ramp up monetary stimulus for now as a moderate recovery is expected later in the year but should be ready to loosen policy further if external pressure on the economy intensifies, board member Yukitoshi Funo said yesterday.

Funo said Japan’s economy was moving in line with the central bank’s projection but risks, such as US-China trade tensions, could disrupt the path toward achieving the central bank’s 2% inflation target.