Bank of Japan likely to go for broke on monetary easing

Tokyo

IS Bank of Japan (BOJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda on course to launch a new monetary easing "bazooka" at the end of this month as Japan's economic recovery sputters, the Tokyo stock market crumbles, and the yen shows worrying signs of strengthening while other currencies plummet?

Yes, says a growing body of opinion in Japan as the date of the BOJ Policy Board's next monthly meeting on Jan 28-29 draws near, with leading analysts and Japanese media increasingly looking to Mr Kuroda to re-establish his credentials as a strong monetary activist.

"I expect the January meeting to bring the return of a proactive, pro-growth BOJ - a central bank confident in both its …