Bank of Japan to pump in more cash

TOKYO-Agence France-Presse

Bank of Japan Gov Masaaki Shirakawa speaks during a news meeting in Tokyo. Reuters photo

The Bank of Japan said yesterday that it will pump $130 billion more into its ailing economy, the latest push to combat stubborn deflation as domestic and global uncertainty intensifies.

However, analysts warned that this was unlikely to be enough to kick-start the sluggish economy, a day after data showed it had slowed much faster than expected in the final three months of 2011.

The central bank said it would increase its asset purchase program by 10 trillion yen ($130 billion) to about 65 trillion yen, in a surprise move that softened the yen and boosted the stock market.

“When central banks in Europe and the United States are taking more easing policies, the Bank of Japan appeared to be left behind,” said Tsuyoshi Ueno, senior economist at NLI Research Institute.

“It was nonetheless a surprising move, which makes us wonder ‘why now?’,” he said, suggesting the bank may have come under political pressure to fight deflation, which has stalked the Japanese economy for more than a decade.

“The (gross domestic product) figures were weaker than expected, and politicians are now discussing raising the sales tax,” he said. “Tackling deflation is a dire necessity.”

Later, BoJ governor Masaaki Shirakawa denied the decision was the result of political pressure, telling reporters: “If the independence of a central bank is not respected, it will eventually have a negative effect through rises in long-term interest rates.”