BOJ keeps policy unchanged

NHK -- Sep 18

Policymakers at the Bank of Japan have decided to keep their current monetary-easing policy unchanged.

They are also maintaining a program worth more than 1.2 trillion dollars to support companies hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

The central bank has decided to maintain the negative short-term interest rate and buy unlimited amounts of government bonds.

But the policymakers have revised their assessment of the economy. The former description of "extremely severe" is now "severe," with the situation starting to pick up.

The central bank has stressed it is ready to take additional monetary-easing without hesitation if an increase in the number of coronavirus cases deals a further blow to the economy.