No need for more BOJ easing this year, says Abenomics' architect

Tokyo

THE Bank of Japan (BOJ) does not need to ease monetary policy further this year unless the economy is hit by a severe external shock, a ruling party lawmaker and one of the architects of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics" policies told Reuters on Monday.

The central bank stunned markets by expanding its stimulus programme in October last year to try to prevent slumping oil prices, and a subsequent slowdown in price growth, from delaying the achievement of its 2 per cent inflation target.