The BoJ kept rates steady at 0.50% in September, but the 7–2 vote revealed a growing hawkish bias. Naoki Tamura and Hajime Takata broke ranks to support a rate increase, citing upside risks to inflation and progress toward achieving the 2% price stability target. Takata said that Japan has more or less achieved its inflation goal, while Tamura argued that the key rate should move closer to neutral given skewed risks to the upside.
Alongside the decision, the BoJ unveiled plans to shrink its massive balance sheet by selling assets. The Bank will sell ETFs at a pace of JPY 330B annually and J-REITs at JPY 5B, with the principle of minimizing market disruption. With its balance sheet at 125% of GDP—far larger than other major central banks—the BoJ’s move marks a notable shift toward normalization, even as rates remain unchanged for now.
