BOJ Fends Off Complaints About Communications

Hours after the Bank of Japan caught central-bank watchers off guard by boosting stimulus, officials were fending off complaints about its communications.

A meeting on Oct. 31 with about 50 analysts and economists on the BOJ’s new outlook ran on for two hours — twice the usual time — as the discussion turned to how well Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and other officials telegraphed their views before the decision, said people who were present. The questions came like a torrent, with some complaining about the BOJ’s bond purchase plan and its communications with the market, according to analysts who asked not to be named as the gathering was private.
While Kuroda said he didn’t intend to surprise anyone with the decision to bolster already-unprecedented easing, springing the news on the market added to the punch. The risk for Kuroda is that he may undermine the BOJ’s credibility with some people in market who count on central bank officials for clear and timely communication.