Japan national CPI core (all items ex-fresh food), rose to 0.8% yoy in January, up from 0.7% yoy, matched expectations. But it remains well below BoJ’s 2% target. Headline CPI slowed to 0.7% yoy, down form 0.8% yoy. CPI core-core (all items ex-fresh food, energy slowed to 0.8% yoy, down fro 0.9% yoy.
BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told the parliament today that he saw the economy to continue with moderate recovery. The central bank won’t hesitate to take additional easing measures if necessary. But he didn’t believe it’s needed now.
Kuroda added that uncertainty regarding China’s coronavirus outbreak is high, because of the impact on exports, production, and tourism. He’d watching the effects with “grave concern.” Also, the coronavirus will be the “biggest topic on the agenda” at this week’s G20 meeting.
