金融緩和、現状維持へ　景気判断下げ議論も―２１日から日銀会合

　日銀は２１、２２日に金融政策決定会合を開く。新型コロナウイルス感染拡大に伴う緊急事態宣言の長期化で個人消費の回復が遅れている。このため、「厳しい状態だが、基調としては持ち直し」との従来の景気判断について、引き下げの是非を含め、より慎重な認識を示すか議論する。日銀は現在の大規模な金融緩和を維持する見込みで、中小企業などの資金繰り支援に万全を期す構えだ。
　緊急事態宣言が延長され、日銀内では「消費は飲食・宿泊関連を中心に当初の想定より持ち直しのタイミングがずれ込んでいる」との見方が強まっている。（2021/09/15-18:55）

The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its massive monetary easing policy unchanged at a two-day Policy Board meeting from Tuesday, hoping to ensure financing support especially for small businesses.
   Also at the meeting, BOJ policymakers will have discussions on the state of the economy, including on the delayed recovery of consumer spending in Japan amid the country's prolonged state of emergency over the novel coronavirus.
   In its latest quarterly Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices report, released in mid-July, the BOJ said, "Japan's economy has picked up as a trend, although it has remained in a severe situation" due to the pandemic. The central bank will discuss whether it should revise down its economic assessment by presenting a more cautious view.
   With the Japanese government's COVID-19 state of emergency having been extended until the end of this month, more and more officials at the BOJ believe that the timing of a recovery in consumption has been pushed back more than initially assumed, mainly in the restaurant and hotel industries.
   In the meantime, major Japanese automakers have been forced to reduce production due to semiconductor shortages since the turn of the year, coupled with delayed supplies of components from Southeast Asian countries, which have been hit hard by the virus.