TOKYO: Japan will fail to reach its two-percent inflation target even by 2022, the central bank predicted on Thursday as it also revised down its estimate for growth in the world’s third-largest economy.
In its closely watched quarterly report, the Bank of Japan forecast inflation of 1.6 percent in the fiscal year ending March 2022, meaning its years-long battle to reignite prices is far from won.
The BoJ revised down its inflation forecast for the year to March 2021 to 1.3 percent from 1.4 percent.
Japanese inflation currently stands below one percent, less than halfway to target, despite six years of aggressive monetary stimulus under BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda.
The central bank kept its ultra-loose monetary policy in place after a two-day policy board meeting but added a fresh timeframe, saying the “extremely low” rates would be maintained “at least through around spring 2020.”
It cited global economic uncertainties and the risks of a scheduled hike in consumption tax later this year from eight percent to 10 percent.
Economic growth would also come in at 0.8 percent this fiscal year, climbing to 0.9 percent the year after — both downward revisions of 0.1 percentage points.
It forecast GDP at 1.2 percent in the fiscal year ending in 2022.
Kuroda has come under fire over the effectiveness of his monetary easing program and how he intends to return the bank’s policy to normal.
In 2013, the BoJ embarked on a huge bond-buying program in a bid to stimulate long-dormant prices with the stated aim of hitting the two percent mark within two years.
But while the plan — which ran in tandem with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s big-spending drive to ramp up the economy — showed early promise, the bank has been forced to delay several times the date for hitting its target.
In January, Kuroda was forced to revise down the BoJ’s inflation forecasts, a step seen as further evidence that authorities are unable to boost prices.
Other central banks have been gradually taking more guarded views on the global economy, with minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting last month showing board members split between optimism and caution.
Kuroda is due to speak later Thursday.
Bank of Japan cuts inflation, economic growth forecasts
Bank of Japan cuts inflation, economic growth forecasts
- The Bank of Japan revised down its inflation forecast for the year to March 2021 to 1.3 percent from 1.4 percent
- Japanese inflation currently stands below one percent, less than halfway to target
Inaugural EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials reflects shared policy commitment
RIYADH: The EU–Saudi Arabia Business and Investment Dialogue on Advancing Critical Raw Materials Value Chains, held in Riyadh as part of the Future Minerals Forum, brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to advance strategic cooperation across critical raw materials value chains.
Organized under a Team Europe approach by the EU–GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project, in coordination with the EU Delegation to Saudi Arabia, the European Chamber of Commerce in the Kingdom and in close cooperation with FMF, the dialogue provided a high-level platform to explore European actions under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU alongside the Kingdom’s aspirations for minerals, industrial, and investment priorities.
This is in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and broader regional ambitions across the GCC, MENA, and Africa.
ResourceEU is the EU’s new strategic action plan, launched in late 2025, to secure a reliable supply of critical raw materials like lithium, rare earths, and cobalt, reducing dependency on single suppliers, such as China, by boosting domestic extraction, processing, recycling, stockpiling, and strategic partnerships with resource-rich nations.
The first ever EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials was opened by the bloc’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Christophe Farnaud, together with Saudi Deputy Minister for Mining Development Turki Al-Babtain, turning policy alignment into concrete cooperation.
Farnaud underlined the central role of international cooperation in the implementation of the EU’s critical raw materials policy framework.
“As the European Union advances the implementation of its Critical Raw Materials policy, international cooperation is indispensable to building secure, diversified, and sustainable value chains. Saudi Arabia is a key partner in this effort. This dialogue reflects our shared commitment to translate policy alignment into concrete business and investment cooperation that supports the green and digital transitions,” said the ambassador.
Discussions focused on strengthening resilient, diversified, and responsible CRM supply chains that are essential to the green and digital transitions.
Participants explored concrete opportunities for EU–Saudi cooperation across the full value chain, including exploration, mining, and processing and refining, as well as recycling, downstream manufacturing, and the mobilization of private investment and sustainable finance, underpinned by high environmental, social, and governance standards.
From the Saudi side, the dialogue was framed as a key contribution to the Kingdom’s industrial transformation and long-term economic diversification agenda under Vision 2030, with a strong focus on responsible resource development and global market integration.
“Developing globally competitive mineral hubs and sustainable value chains is a central pillar of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s industrial transformation. Our engagement with the European Union through this dialogue to strengthen upstream and downstream integration, attract high-quality investment, and advance responsible mining and processing. Enhanced cooperation with the EU, capitalizing on the demand dynamics of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, will be key to delivering long-term value for both sides,” said Al-Babtain.
Valere Moutarlier, deputy director-general for European industry decarbonization, and directorate-general for the internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs at European Commission, said the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU provided a clear framework to strengthen Europe’s resilience while deepening its cooperation with international partners.
“Cooperation with Saudi Arabia is essential to advancing secure, sustainable, and diversified critical raw materials value chains. Dialogues such as this play a key role in translating policy ambitions into concrete industrial and investment cooperation,” she added.
