BOJ Decides to Raise Policy Rate to 1.25 Pct

Tokyo, Sept. 18 (Jiji Press)--The Bank of Japan decided to raise its policy interest rate by 0.25 percentage point to around 1.25 pct, the highest level in about 31 years, at a two-day meeting of its Policy Board that ended Friday.

The last time the policy rate stood at 1.25 pct was back in April 1995.

The board voted seven to two to implement its first interest rate hike in three months, the shortest interval between rate increases under BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda, who assumed the post in 2023. An interval of about three months was last seen during the bubble economy era.

The two board members who voted against the additional rate hike were Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato. Asada called for keeping the policy rate unchanged at around 1 pct. Sato said that now is not the appropriate time to raise the rate.

The new policy rate target will take effect on Thursday next week. Monday through Wednesday will be national holidays in Japan.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]