-
BOJ will find another rate hike this year difficult, says ex-deputy governor
The Bank of Japan can raise interest rates if prospects of durably meeting its 2 per cent inflation target improve, but would struggle to justify doing so this year given weak signs in the economy, former deputy governor Masazumi Wakatabe told Reuters. Wakatabe, who is known as a fiscal and monetary dove, endorsed the central bank's cautious policy normalisation and said more rate hikes could come if the economy improves. He noted the economy was "at a historical turning point" with companies raising prices on a regular basis in a departure from their past caution over doing so. "If the economy is improving ... (full story)