BOJ's Kuroda says ready to ease if needed to hit price target

[TOKYO] Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Thursday the central bank is ready to take additional monetary easing steps if needed to achieve its 2 per cent inflation target.

"Japan's economy is expected to expand moderately as a trend," Mr Kuroda said in a speech delivered at a quarterly meeting of the central bank's regional branch managers.

The BOJ has kept monetary policy steady since January, when it decided to add negative interest rates to its massive asset-buying programme in a fresh attempt to accelerate inflation towards its 2 per cent target.

REUTERS