MNI BRIEF: BOJ To Maintain ETF, J-REIT Buys After Covid-19

The Bank of Japan board on Friday decided to remove "at an annual pace of JPY6 trillion" with reference to its exchange traded-fund purchases and said it will maintain buying of ETFs and J-REITs even after Covid-19 subsides.

"The BOJ will purchase ETFs and Japan real estate investment trusts as necessary with upper limits of about JPY12 trillion and about JPY180 billion, respectively, on the annual pace of increase in their amounts outstanding," the bank said. "While these upper limits were originally set as a temporary measure in response to the impact of the novel coronavirus, the BOJ will maintain them even after Covid-19 subsides," it said.

The BOJ also increased the scale of purchases of commercial paper and corporate bonds to JPY20 trillion from JPY15 trillion until the end of September.