TOKYO (Dow Jones)--The Bank of Japan decided Tuesday to expand its asset-purchase program again by Y10 trillion and changed the wording of its price target following political pressure to strengthen its commitment to ending deflation.
The central bank's policy board said it will boost the size of its asset purchase program including low-cost loans--the main tool for credit easing amid near zero interest rates--to Y65 trillion from Y55 trillion.
Only one out of the 11 analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had predicted the BOJ to ease. Most BOJ watchers had said that while there were concerns over the impact of the strong yen and the European debt crisis, neither financial nor economic conditions had worsened to levels that warrant immediate further action.