日本经济停滞终结 不能说是量宽的胜利

Core Viewpoint - Japan's economy is experiencing a significant shift as inflation rises, leading to a normalization of monetary policy after years of stagnation and negative interest rates. The Bank of Japan has raised interest rates three times since March 2022, marking a departure from its long-standing ultra-loose monetary policy [1][15]. Group 1: Economic Context - Japan's inflation has consistently exceeded the 2% target since 2022, with CPI inflation reaching 2.5%, 3.2%, and 2.7% in 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively [4]. - The nominal GDP growth rate for Japan from 2021 to 2024 is projected to average 3.0%, outperforming the 2.0% average from 2013 to 2017 [11]. Group 2: Monetary Policy Changes - The Bank of Japan has implemented a series of interest rate hikes, totaling 60 basis points over three increases since March 2022, marking the end of an eight-year negative interest rate policy [1][15]. - The introduction of quantitative easing (QE) and later qualitative and quantitative easing (QQE) aimed to combat deflation but had limited success until recent external shocks triggered inflation [2][3]. Group 3: External Influences - Three major external shocks since 2020 have contributed to Japan's inflation: the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting global supply chains, the subsequent rise in commodity prices, and the geopolitical tensions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict [5][6][8]. - The depreciation of the yen against the dollar, exacerbated by divergent monetary policies between Japan and other major economies, has intensified inflationary pressures in Japan [8][15]. Group 4: Inflation Dynamics - Input inflation pressures have been significant, with the Producer Price Index (PPI) averaging 9.8% in 2022, leading to CPI and core CPI inflation rates of 4.0% by the end of that year [7][8]. - The rise in inflation expectations has been notable, with surveys indicating a significant increase in the proportion of respondents anticipating price increases [12][13]. Group 5: Future Outlook - Despite the positive trends, Japan's economic recovery remains fragile, with real GDP growth projected at only 1.2% from 2021 to 2024, indicating a slow recovery compared to other economies [14]. - The potential for rising government financing costs due to increased bond yields poses a challenge for Japan's fiscal stability, especially given its high debt-to-GDP ratio [15].