Statement on Monetary Policy  : 日本銀行 Bank of Japan
Central bank: boj | Type: statement | Date: 2021-04-27

Statement on Monetary Policy
April 27, 2021
PDF Version [PDF 197KB]
(1) Yield curve control
The Bank decided, by an 8-1 majority vote, to set the following guideline for market operations for the intermeeting period.
The short-term policy interest rate:
The Bank will apply a negative interest rate of minus 0.1 percent to the Policy-Rate Balances in current accounts held by financial institutions at the Bank.
The long-term interest rate:
The Bank will purchase a necessary amount of Japanese government bonds (JGBs) without setting an upper limit so that 10-year JGB yields will remain at around zero percent.
(2) Guidelines for asset purchases
With regard to asset purchases other than JGB purchases, the Bank decided, by a unanimous vote, to set the following guidelines.
a) The Bank will purchase exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and Japan real estate investment trusts (J-REITs) as necessary with upper limits of about 12 trillion yen and about 180 billion yen, respectively, on annual paces of increase in their amounts outstanding.
b) The Bank will purchase CP and corporate bonds with an upper limit on the amount outstanding of about 20 trillion yen in total until the end of September 2021.
The Bank will continue with Quantitative and Qualitative Monetary Easing (QQE) with Yield Curve Control, aiming to achieve the price stability target of 2 percent, as long as it is necessary for maintaining that target in a stable manner. It will continue expanding the monetary base until the year-on-year rate of increase in the observed consumer price index (CPI, all items less fresh food) exceeds 2 percent and stays above the target in a stable manner.
The Bank will continue to support financing mainly of firms and maintain stability in financial markets through (1) the Special Program to Support Financing in Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), (2) an ample provision of yen and foreign currency funds without setting upper limits mainly by purchasing JGBs and conducting the U.S. dollar funds-supplying operations, and (3) purchases of ETFs and J-REITs with upper limits of about 12 trillion yen and about 180 billion yen, respectively, on annual paces of increase in their amounts outstanding.
For the time being, the Bank will closely monitor the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and will not hesitate to take additional easing measures if necessary, and also it expects short- and long-term policy interest rates to remain at their present or lower levels.
Voting for the action: Mr. KURODA Haruhiko, Mr. AMAMIYA Masayoshi, Mr. WAKATABE Masazumi, Ms. MASAI Takako, Mr. SUZUKI Hitoshi, Mr. ADACHI Seiji, Mr. NAKAMURA Toyoaki, and Mr. NOGUCHI Asahi. Voting against the action: Mr. KATAOKA Goushi. Mr. Kataoka dissented, considering that it was desirable to further strengthen monetary easing by lowering short- and long-term interest rates, with a view to responding to an increase in downward pressure on prices and encouraging firms to make active business fixed investment for the post-COVID-19 era.
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Mr. Kataoka dissented, considering that, in order to avoid Japan's economy returning to deflation, further coordination of fiscal and monetary policy was necessary and it was appropriate for the Bank to revise the forward guidance for the policy rates to relate it to the price stability target.
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(Reference)
Meeting hours:
Monday, April 26: 14:00-15:54
Tuesday, April 27: 9:00-11:53
Policy Board members present:
Mr. KURODA Haruhiko, Chairman (Governor)
Mr. AMAMIYA Masayoshi (Deputy Governor)
Mr. WAKATABE Masazumi (Deputy Governor)
Ms. MASAI Takako
Mr. SUZUKI Hitoshi
Mr. KATAOKA Goushi
Mr. ADACHI Seiji
Mr. NAKAMURA Toyoaki
Mr. NOGUCHI Asahi
(Others present)
From the Ministry of Finance:
Mr. SHINKAWA Hirotsugu, Deputy Vice-Minister for Policy Planning and Coordination (14:00-15:54)
From the Cabinet Office:
Mr. TAWA Hiroshi, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (14:00-15:54)
From the Ministry of Finance:
Mr. NAKANISHI Kenji, State Minister of Finance (9:00-11:31, 11:39-11:53)
From the Cabinet Office:
Mr. AKAZAWA Ryosei, State Minister of Cabinet Office (9:00-11:31, 11:39-11:53)
Release dates and times:
Statement on Monetary Policy -- Tuesday, April 27 at 12:00
Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices (Outlook Report)
The Bank's View -- Tuesday, April 27 at 12:00
Full text -- Wednesday, April 28 at 14:00
Summary of Opinions -- Tuesday, May 11 at 8:50
Minutes of the Monetary Policy Meeting -- Wednesday, June 23 at 8:50