*** Bank of Japan rate announcement due.........>

BOJ: *** Bank of Japan rate announcement due today, no set time but usually

between 0230-0330GMT (last 2 decisions at 0304GMT and 0315GMT respectively).

- No action expected from the Bank today, focus instead will be on potential

future action from the Bank after the "reversal rate" comments in recent weeks.

There is still some ambiguity over BoJ Gov Kuroda's future when his term ends in

April 2018.

- Kuroda set BoJ watchers tongues wagging last month when he mentioned the

theoretical downside of extremely low interest rates. Some thought he was

telegraphing an adjustment in policy, a conclusion that was refuted soon after

with anonymous BoJ officials saying the comment was aimed at discouraging

further easing as desired by BoJ newcomer Kataoka. The more important point is

that when the BOJ does prepare to tweak its policy, the Bank will likely

telegraph well in advance that a change is on the horizon in order to avoid a

episode similar to the US "taper tantrum".