The Bank of Japan decided to maintain its current monetary easing policy at its meeting held on January 22nd and 23rd. There is little certainty that the 2% price stability target, which is a prerequisite for policy change, will be achieved.
One member said, if we can follow up on the effects of the Noto Peninsula earthquake over the next one or two months, it is likely that we have reached a situation where financial normalization is possible. There was a series of statements that took steps toward policy change.