Japan's central bank keeps monetary policy, economic view

TOKYO, Sept 21 (KUNA) -- Japan's central bank decided on Thursday to maintain its massive monetary easing policy and left its assessment of the country's economy unchanged.
At a two-day policy meeting just concluded, Bank of Japan's (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and his board colleagues voted 8-1 to keep its current ultra-easy monetary policy, according to a statement released by the BOJ.
"The BOJ will conduct purchases of Japanese government bonds at more or less the current annual pace of increase in outstanding holdings at about JPY 80 trillion (USD 710 billion)," the central bank said in the statement.
The BOJ will also continue applying a negative interest rate of minus 0.1 percent to part of accounts held by financial institutions at the central bank.
The central bank kept its assessment of the domestic economy unchanged from its July meeting, saying, "It is expanding moderately, with a virtuous cycle from income to spending operating." Exports have been on an increasing trend and business fixed investment has been on a moderate increasing trend with corporate profits improving, according to the BOJ. "Private consumption has increased its resilience against the background of steady improvement in the employment and income situation," it said. (end) mk.tg