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REPEAT: MNI POLICY: BOJ Kuroda Warns of Indirect Trade Impact

     TOKYO (MNI) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said Wednesday the
direct impact of trade disputes on global growth is estimated to be "not so
large," but the indirect impact -- a worsening of business and household
sentiment -- could hurt global and Japanese economies.
     Key points from Kuroda's news conference after the BOJ's two-day policy
meeting. The board decided Wednesday in a 7-to-2 vote to maintain its current
monetary easing stance under the yield curve control framework, vowing to keep
very low interest rates "for an extended period."
     * "The direct impact of protectionism and trade disputes on global trading
volumes seems not to be so large, according to estimates by the IMF and other
international organizations," Kuroda said. "However, if household and corporate
sentiments are affected by trade disputes, they would impede consumer spending
and corporate capital investment, which then would have a big impact on global
trade. We have to pay attention to the risk."
     * Downside risks to Japan's economy in light of growing uncertainties over
global demand caused by the U.S.-China trade row are increasing but the BOJ's
baseline scenario for a modest economic recovery remains unchanged.
     * The BOJ continues to carefully watch the long-term impact of recent
natural disasters in Japan -- rain storms in the southwest and earthquakes in
the north -- as they are hurting tourism.
     * The BOJ continues to persistently maintain the current easy policy in
order to achieve the 2% inflation target. Kuroda sees no need to review the 2%
price stability target, which was set in January 2013 in exchange for the
government's push for fiscal consolidation and structural reforms. Japan's
economy has improved and corporate profits have risen but inflation is still
below 1%.
     * Kuroda said there is no gap in opinion between the BOJ and the government
regarding the side-effects of prolonged monetary easing. There are no signs that
asset prices are overheating at this point but the BOJ will keep a close watch.
It is appropriate that the pace of housing loans extended by regional banks is
slowing.
     * Asked about the possibility of another large financial crisis like the
2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, the governor said he does not see a limit to
"innovative" policy tools that central banks can create.
--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-4670-5309; email: max.sato@marketnews.com

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