Takaichi Meets with BOJ Chief

(3rd para should have read “… minister-BOJ …,” instead of as sent) Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo on Monday. Emerging from his first meeting with Takaichi since the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide win in the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, Ueda told reporters that the two had a “general exchange of views on the economic and financial situations.” There was “no specific request” from Takaichi, he added. Prime minister-BOJ chief talks have been held regularly at the office. This was Takaichi’s second meeting with Ueda after the first one in November last year. “We discussed various things, but I will refrain from providing details,” Ueda also said. The central bank carried out an interest rate hike at its policy meeting last December. The next meeting will be held March 18-19 amid speculation about another rate increase spreading through financial markets. The bank maintains the stance of keeping raising the key rate as long as the economic and price situations improve. When asked whether Takaichi showed understanding of the BOJ policy, Ueda declined to answer. The day’s Takaichi-Ueda meeting was fixed after the government and the bank communicated closely with each other, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference ahead of the meeting. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]