The Bank of Japan said March 13 it will leave its ultra-easy monetary policy and the 0.5 percent official discount rate unchanged.
The unanimous decision was made at a four-hour Monetary Policy Meeting with all six Policy Board members present, the BOJ said. Gov. Yasuo Matsushita attended the meeting only briefly because he was facing questions at a House of Representatives Budget Committee.
The bank has repeatedly stressed the importance of keeping interest rates low for a while to help revive the economy as a whole. A summary of the meeting -- including a synopsis of issues discussed as well as the names of supporters and opponents to policy changes -- will be released April 14. The next meeting is scheduled for March 26.