Japan Fin Min Suzuki: Japan's fiscal situation severe

Japan's Finance Minister Shun'ichi Suzuki crossed the wires in the session on Friday and said pulling the economy out of deflation and achieving stable growth remain an important policy challenge.

Reuters reported that Suzuki made the comment in parliament when asked whether the government would seek to revise the current joint statement with the Bank of Japan (BOJ) that commits the central bank to achieve its 2% inflation target at the earliest date possible.

Key notes

• What to do with the govt-BoJ policy statement is something that the government must discuss with the new BoJ governor.
• The current policy statement's goal of pulling Japan out of deflation, and achieving stable growth, remain an important policy challenge.
• To overcome this challenge, achieving wage growth is important.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government will present nominees for new the BoJ governor, and deputy governors to parliament on February 14, Reuters quite a lawmaker stating today. Masayoshi Amamiya has emerged as a frontrunner for the Bank of Japan’s next governor and a potential successor to incumbent Haruhiko Kuroda, Nikkei Asia reported on February 6, citing unnamed government officials. Kuroda is set to retire on April 8, after serving as the BoJ governor for two five-year terms.