The BoJ boosted the size of its asset purchase program by JPY10 trillion to a total of JPY76 trillion, broadly in line with market expectations. The asset purchase fund has been its main policy tool since October 2010.
Policy makers kept a separate credit loan program at JPY25 trillion. The BoJ also left its policy interest-rate target unchanged in the current range of zero to 0.1%
The central bank also maintained its target for consumer price inflation at 1%, disappointing market expectations for an increase following the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in elections earlier in the week.