前日本央行官员：应对加息保持审慎立场 为经济注入更强动力

Core Viewpoint - The Bank of Japan should adopt a cautious stance on interest rate hikes while the government should utilize fiscal, monetary, and tax policies to inject stronger momentum into the economy [1] Group 1: Monetary Policy - Yutaka Harada emphasized the need for the Bank of Japan to be careful with interest rate increases, as rapid hikes could overly tighten policies and exert unnecessary pressure on the economy [1] - The Bank of Japan recently raised borrowing costs to the highest level in 30 years, indicating that it believes the economy is gradually approaching its price stability target [1] Group 2: Fiscal Policy - Harada supports the government's proactive and "responsible" fiscal policy, suggesting that a "high-pressure economy" could lead to increased wages due to labor shortages, thereby improving overall productivity in Japan [1] - The government is nearing completion of its preliminary budget for the new fiscal year starting in April, which includes the largest economic stimulus plan since the pandemic [2] - Harada advised that necessary expenditures should be concentrated in the initial budget, while temporary supplementary budgets should be reduced in scale to maintain their limited, supplementary role [2] Group 3: Taxation - Harada pointed out that many taxpayers are paying more taxes without a real increase in purchasing power, highlighting the burden of the current progressive income tax system in an inflationary context [2] - He urged the government to adjust the tax system, particularly tax brackets, in line with rising nominal incomes [1][2] Group 4: Neutral Interest Rate - Harada cautioned the Bank of Japan to maintain distance when discussing the concept of "neutral interest rate," which is difficult to define due to its dependence on natural rates and inflation expectations [2] - He warned that an excessive focus on neutral interest rates could hinder the flexibility of policy decisions [2]