The Latest Breaking News from Bank of Japan

Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's central bank left its ultra-easy monetary policy unchanged on Friday in its last meeting before Governor Haruhiko Kuroda steps down and is replaced by economics professor Kazuo Ueda.

London (AFP) - US and European equities rebounded Monday after sinking last week on renewed fear of more aggressive US interest rate hikes, dealers said.

Hong Kong (AFP) - Equity markets were mixed Friday, with traders still occupied by long-running interest rate worries, though Tokyo rallied after Japan's incoming central bank head made the case for keeping its ultra-loose policy.

Consumer prices in Japan have jumped by the most in more than 41 years, adding to pressure on the central bank to adjust its longstanding ultra-lax monetary policy

Hong Kong (AFP) - Asian markets were mixed Friday, with traders still occupied by long-running interest rate worries, though Tokyo rallied after the man tipped as Japan's next central bank head made the case for keeping its ultra-loose policy.

Tokyo (AFP) - The Bank of Japan's long-standing monetary easing policies are "appropriate", its next governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament on Friday, suggesting no sudden changes to the bank's stance when he takes the helm in April.

Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's consumer prices rose 4.2 percent in January from a year earlier, a level not seen since September 1981, fuelled in part by higher energy bills, government data showed Friday. 

Investors say Kazuo Ueda's appointment as the Bank of Japan's new chief may indicate how soon it will shift away from extremely low interest rates — a transition that could have huge ramifications for global financial markets.

The government presented to the Diet Tuesday its nomination of economist Kazuo Ueda, 71, as the successor to Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda, whose term ends on April 8.