THE Bank of Japan (BOJ) trimmed its economic growth forecast yesterday but held off on offering fresh stimulus, convinced that an expected pick up in consumption will help accelerate inflation toward its 2 percent target.

    Defying market scepticism over its rosy outlook, the central bank roughly maintained its forecasts that see inflation reaching its target in the fiscal year beginning in April 2016.

    BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda reiterated his optimism on the global outlook, pointing to data showing China’s economy grew a better-than-expected 7 percent in the second quarter.

    “Export and output growth have moderated somewhat, but we expect this to be temporary,” he told reporters.

    “But as for the outlook, exports are expected to increase moderately, albeit with some fluctuations, due to improvements in overseas economies and the boost from a weak yen.”

    As widely expected, the BOJ kept intact its pledge of expanding base money at an annual pace of 80 trillion yen (US$648 billion) via aggressive asset purchases.

    Japanese policymakers, who had braced for market turbulence from Greece’s debt crisis and China’s stock market rout, were relieved when China’s steps restored a measure of calm to its markets and Athens clinched a last-minute conditional bailout.

    But nodding to signs of weakness in external demand, the BOJ offered a slightly gloomier view on exports and output to say they have been “picking up albeit with some fluctuations.”

    Last month, it said exports and output were picking up. A quarterly review of its long-term forecasts underscored uncertainties surrounding the BOJ’s projections with the economy likely to have stalled in April-June on weak exports.

    The BOJ cut its growth projection for the current fiscal year to March 2016 by 0.3 percentage points to 1.7 percent.

    (SD-Agencies)