BOJ not out of options yet despite negative interest rate strategy: Abe aide

Tokyo

THE Bank of Japan (BOJ) isn't running out of policy options in its attempt to reinvigorate the economy, a senior government official said on Tuesday, days after the central bank surprised investors by adopting a negative interest rate strategy to spur banks to lend more.

"I don't think that's the case," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko said, when asked in an interview whether BOJ policymaking was nearing its limits. "There are other central banks that have introduced lower negative interest rates," he said. "This is not the last resort."