MNI INTERVIEW2: Ex-BOJ's Kameda To Boost Sompo Research

Former Bank of Japan chief economist Seisaku Kameda is joining insurance giant Sompo Holdings, beefing up its research department while adding a new macro-economic team, he told MNI.

“I have two mandates -- to launch a macro research team and expand the existing research group, such as increasing the presence and issue broad recommendations with regard to various issues, from the long-term view,” Kameda told MNI.

Kameda, who only left the BOJ on May 8, is now senior advisor to the Sompo group CEO, as well as serving as executive economist at Sompo Institute Plus.

A main goal will be to focus on longer-term economic concerns for the world’s third-largest economy.

“A distinctive feature of our think tank is its emphasis on the long-term vision of problems facing Japan, such as climate change, fiscal discipline and social security,” Kameda said.