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May 05, 2024
 

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Sumio Ito
For Sumio Ito's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2023
New BOJ governor likely to move away from special stimulus, ex-official says
The official said Japan is on track to break away from an entrenched deflationary mindset as it moves away from being an economy of zero inflation.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 20, 2022
Kuroda shocks markets by raising BOJ cap on 10-year bond yields, driving up yen
The bank will now allow yields to rise to around 0.5%, up from the previous upper limit of 0.25% on their range of movement, according to a policy statement.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2022
BOJ board member calls for policy review at the right time
Naoki Tamura has said it's hard to define the 'right time' mechanically, or decide what would make it necessary because it depends on inflation, wages and the economy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 26, 2022
Japan expected to keep last central bank negative interest rate
Explaining the refusal to shift gears is getting harder and such doggedness risks triggering a fresh downward spiral for the embattled yen.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2022
Failure to hit price goal may trigger BOJ shift, former director says
Ex-BOJ executive thinks there is a considerable chance that in a year or so the BOJ's topic of discussion will shift to when the price target can really be achieved.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 27, 2022
BOJ chief Haruhiko Kuroda backs intervention while stressing need for easing
The government's action last week came almost directly after the BOJ's ultralow rates stance fueled further yen weakening, triggering doubt over the authorities' unified stance.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 13, 2022
BOJ could normalize policy in mid-2023, ex-board member says
Views on Japan's inflation dynamics are shifting among some experts after more than a decade of deflation and price weakness.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 6, 2022
BOJ should look at exit steps while holding policy, former official says
'This isn't the time for a drastic rate hike, so there is a limit on what the BOJ can do now,” Yuri Okina has said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 4, 2022
Mr. JGB says markets need to prepare for BOJ buying fewer bonds
The Ministry of Finance has started looking into ensuring there's sufficient liquidity in the market, said Michio Saito, who heads the department that oversees debt issuance.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 19, 2022
Bank of Japan chief determined to maintain stimulus as world tightens
Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda is in no mood to give up on stimulus and his ultraloose monetary policy, according to people familiar with the matter.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 7, 2022
BOJ likely to consider revising inflation and growth forecasts, sources suggest
The new economic projections will be released together with the bank's policy decision at the end of the meeting.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 9, 2022
BOJ’s rock-bottom rates are crucial for Kishida’s spending plans
The prime minister has signed off on changes to an annual fiscal policy plan that loosen rather than tighten the corset constraining the nation's spending plans.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 28, 2022
Yen slides past ¥130 to the dollar after BOJ doubles down on bond buying
The Bank of Japan's decision had been widely expected among economists, despite ongoing speculation the bank might take action in light of a recent slide in the yen rate to a two-decade low.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 19, 2022
Japan to model digital yen tests on Sweden’s approach, not China’s
The Bank of Japan will explore the design issues of a central bank digital currency in measured steps like Sweden rather than pressing ahead with large-scale pilot tests like China.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 15, 2022
Bank of Japan poised to predict strongest inflation in 30 years
With global central banks accelerating interest rate hikes to tackle inflation, Haruhiko Kuroda will have the task of explaining why he is insisting on staying wedded to stimulus.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 8, 2022
BOJ is likely to adjust policy as soon as July, ex-official says
The view sharply contrasts with the stated position of Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda, who has repeatedly said he will stick with stimulus.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2022
BOJ maintains easing stance, highlighting policy divergence
The bank left its interest rates and asset purchases unchanged, according to a statement Friday, as predicted by all economists in a survey.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2022
Weaker yen likely to prompt BOJ message shift, ex-official says
'The yen has already moved a lot compared with last year, so a further weakening means volatility has generally been high,' says Kazuo Momma.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 15, 2022
Bank of Japan chief risks hitting inflation goal in a way he doesn’t want
Economists are predicting core consumer prices will rise at a pace of 2% or more this year as surging energy prices, a weakening yen and stabilizing phone charges feed inflation.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 9, 2022
Japan’s economy needs more spending aid, Abenomics advocate says
The call for more stimulus by Etsuro Honda comes barely three months after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a bigger-than-expected u00a556 trillion package to support the economy.
Japan says Biden's description of nation as xenophobic is 'unfortunate'
The National Diet building in Tokyo
With eye on China, defense chiefs agree to bolster interoperability
From left: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian defense chief Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro hold a joint news conference in Honolulu on Thursday.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
Japan drops to 70th in press freedom rankings
A businessman reads a newspaper outside a train station in Tokyo.
Traders spooked by intervention risk trim record yen shorts
Traders edged back from record bets on yen weakness this past week, in a period that included a likely bout of intervention by Japan to prop up the currency.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
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