日本央行行长上田和夫重申，如果潜在通胀接近2%的目标，央行将提高利率。尽管核心消费者通胀率已连续三年保持在2%以上，但需求驱动的压力仍然疲软。上田告诉议会，日本央行将保持实际利率为负，以支持稳定、持续的通货膨胀。他说：“一旦我们更加确信潜在通胀将接近或徘徊在2%左右，我们将继续加息。”。日本央行去年结束了长达十年的刺激计划，随着通胀接近目标，1月份将短期利率上调至0.5%。然而，美国关税的上升和全球的不确定性促使经济增长预测下调，使进一步加息的道路变得更加复杂。上田还警告称，触及零下限的风险可能会削弱日本央行应对未来经济衰退的能力。该行将于6月16日至17日召开货币政策会议。
Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda reaffirmed the central bank’s commitment to raising interest rates if underlying inflation nears its 2% target. While core consumer inflation has stayed above 2% for three years, demand-driven pressures remain subdued. Ueda told parliament the BoJ is keeping real interest rates negative to support stable, sustained inflation. “Once we have more conviction that underlying inflation will approach or hover around 2%, we will continue to raise rates,” he said. The BoJ ended its decade-long stimulus last year, lifting short-term rates to 0.5% in January as inflation neared its goal. However, rising U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty have prompted downward revisions to growth forecasts, complicating the path for further hikes. Ueda also cautioned about the risk of hitting the zero lower bound, which could weaken the BoJ’s ability to respond to future downturns. The bank is set to convene its monetary policy meeting on June 16-17.
