国际英语新闻:Bank of Japan to adopt additional easing if economy worsens: media

TOKYO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Bank of Japan (BOJ) policymaker Yutaka Harada said Wednesday that additional monetary easing should be implemented if the economic conditions become worse, local media reported.

Harada's comment came as an increasing number of BOJ policy makers have recently considered additional easing, fearing that the Japanese economy may slow down and get further away from the 2-percent inflation target.

"Given the risks to economic activity going forward, there certainly are a number of issues to consider," Harada Wednesday told a meeting of business leaders in Yamanashi Prefecture, adding that potential risks over Brexit may further derail the Japanese economy as well.

"I think it would be necessary to implement additional monetary easing without delay through quantitative, qualitative and interest rate policy measures," Harada said.

The topic of expanding stimulus will be discussed at a two-day policy board meeting starting on March 14.

In February, BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said that the increasing value in yen will affect Japan's export-oriented economy and the central bank may take actions in response.

"We will consider additional easing if it appears necessary to achieve the price stability target... we'd decide on the best policy course while weighing the benefits and costs," Kuroda said, adding that measures include lowering interest rates or expanding the bank's asset purchases.