Inflation slack is keeping the BoJ in stimulus mode - Reuters

As reported by Reuters, The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is being forced to keep their finger on the stimulus trigger as inflation continues to flop, and the central bank's hopes for inflation to reach two percent by next April are beginning to look grim.

Key quotes

"Japan’s headline inflation slowed in March from the previous month, highlighting the central bank’s struggle to hit its 2 percent price growth target."

"The so-called core-core inflation index, which excludes fresh food and energy prices and is similar to the core index used in the United States, rose 0.5 percent in the year to March."

"Analysts expect core consumer inflation to peak in the coming months as upward price pressure from energy and food is likely to moderate."

"Despite more than five years of the central bank’s aggressive monetary stimulus, inflation remains distant from the BOJ’s 2 percent target."