While a substantial portion of newly issued JGBs are purchased by the Bank, I would like to reiterate that the JGB purchases are conducted from the perspective of overcoming deflation and achieving the price stability target, not for the purpose of financing fiscal deficits.
In order to preempt the manifestation of this risk and to maintain momentum toward achieving the price stability target of 2 percent, the Bank decided to introduce"QQE with a Negative Interest Rate" at its Monetary Policy Meeting on January 29, 2016 Chart 9.
As I mentioned earlier, the current monetary policy aims to facilitate the formation of a yield curve that is deemed most appropriate for maintaining the momentum toward achieving the price stability target of 2 percent, so in that sense, the answer is"interest rates.
In the economy, in which the price stability target of 2 percent is achieved by pursuing this mechanism, the rational behavior of firms and households should not be to hoard cash and deposits, but to invest and consume.
This framework of powerful monetary easing consists of two pillars:(1) a strong and clear commitment to achieving the price stability target of 2 percent at the earliest possible time and(2) large-scale purchases of short- to long-term government bonds to reduce long-term interest rates.
Second, the main reason for not being able to achieve the price stability target of 2 percent despite such a positive turnaround in economic and price developments is that inflation expectations, which had increased significantly due to a regime change in monetary policy, weakened again.
In order to achieve the price stability target under such financial and economic developments, the Bank recognizes that it is important to persistently continue with the current powerful monetary easing and thereby maintain a positive output gap-- a driver for inflation-- for as long as possible.
On this point, in April last year, the Bank declared that it will achieve the price stability target at the earliest possible time, with a time horizon of about 2 years, and it introduced the QQE.
The first is yield curve control, which was introduced with the aim of realizing the combination of the levels of interest rates that are deemed most appropriate for maintaining the momentum toward achieving the price stability target of 2 percent, while also considering the effects on the functioning of financial intermediation.
What the Bank is aiming at is not to reach a state in which only prices rise, but one in which the economy expands with corporate profits and wages rising, and the price stability target of 2 percent is achieved.
In order to achieve the price stability target, the Bank considers it important to maintain the momentum toward achieving the price stability target by persistently continuing with the powerful monetary easing and thereby maintaining a positive output gap for as long as possible.
The conclusion we reached was, first, to show our clear commitment to achieving the 2 percent price stability target in a stable manner as soon as possible, and, second, to underpin this determination by launching massive monetary easing that clearly differed from the past policies.
As I stated in my speech at a meeting with business leaders in Kanagawa on February 28, 2013, I consider it important to increase credibility regarding the Bank's decision on the price stability target of 2 percent from the viewpoint of overcoming deflation.
As mentioned earlier, in an economy in which the price stability target of 2 percent is sustained in a stable manner, it is advantageous to make effective use of cash and deposits for investment or human resource development rather than hoarding them.
To elaborate on this, once the probability of achieving the 2 percent price stability target rises, this will inevitably be incorporated in medium- to long-term interest rates to some extent; on the other hand, if the probability of achieving the target remains low, such interest rates will continue to be contained.
An empirical result indicates that Japan's trend inflation stayed at zero percent for about 15 years after the late 1990s, and then shifted away from zero percent after the introduction of the price stability target and the quantitative and qualitative monetary easing.
These facts indicate that, under QQE, the expansion of the monetary base in combination with the commitment to achieving the price stability target have affected people's perception of prices by bringing about a regime change in monetary policy, and have contributed to raising inflation expectations.
In the new era that is about to start, the Bank will continue to firmly fulfill its responsibility as the central bank in order to ensure the achievement of the price stability target and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
Despite the strong monetary easing being pursued for almost five years, the 2 percent price stability target has not been achieved. This confirms that the deflationary mindset was more persistent than initially had been assumed, although there were external factors such as the substantial decline in crude oil prices..
Many members including this member expressed the view that, even if the Bank presented a target for price stability, it would not be easy to affect the expected inflation rate in the current situation where the transmission mechanism of monetary policy was not functioning fully.
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