Board members urged scrutiny on cost of easing

Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images

The Bank of Japan headquarters is seen past traffic in Tokyo on November 1, 2016.

Most Bank of Japan policymakers shared the view that the central bank should “persistently” pursue powerful monetary easing at a January rate review, though some called for the need to scrutinise the potential drawbacks of massive stimulus, minutes of the meeting showed.

“Some members said it was important to continue to monitor and assess the positive impacts and side-effects of the current monetary easing policy, including its effects on Japan’s financial system,” the minutes showed on Wednesday.

At the January policy meeting, the BOJ kept monetary settings unchanged and offered a slightly upbeat view on inflation expectations.