Outgoing Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda reaffirmed on Friday he is open to further easing monetary policy if necessary. At his final press conference as the governor, Kuroda asserted the Japanese economy is picking up and that monetary stimulus helped it pick up.
Commenting on inflation, Kuroda expressed regret that the Bank of Japan hasn't achieved its 2% target sustainably in the past decade. However, he noted that it is possible to maintain this goal.
He also spoke about his successor Kazuo Ueda, saying he's sure the newly-elected governor will be able to achieve price and financial stability. The Bank of Japan maintained its short-term interest rate target of negative 0.1% in its latest policy decision.
