マイナス金利解除、３月も視野　物価２％の持続に自信―日銀

　日銀は３月１８、１９両日に開く次回の金融政策決定会合で、マイナス金利政策の解除も視野に議論する見通しだ。２０２４年春闘の賃上げ率が昨年を上回るとの見方が広がる中、日銀が賃金と物価がそろって上昇し、物価上昇率を前年比２％で安定させる目標を持続的に達成するシナリオに自信を深めているためだ。
　黒田東彦前総裁の下で１３年４月に導入してから１０年以上続く大規模金融緩和策の転換点が近づいている。
　「２％の物価目標実現がようやく見通せる状況になってきた」。日銀の高田創審議委員は２月２９日に大津市で行った講演で繰り返し述べ、緩和を正常化する条件が整いつつあるとの見解を強調した。これを受け、金融市場では早期の政策修正観測が広がり、円相場と金利が上昇した。
　高田氏は講演後の記者会見で「３月解除」を支持するかと問われ「３月でもその次（の４月会合）でも、考えながら対応したい」と発言。３月会合で、０７年以来１７年ぶりの利上げが選択肢となる可能性を排除しなかった。（2024/02/29-20:27）

The Bank of Japan seems to be leaning toward the idea of scrapping its negative interest rate policy at the upcoming two-day policy-setting meeting from March 18.
   The central bank is growing increasingly confident that Japan can sustainably achieve its 2 pct inflation target through wage hikes and rising prices, with a view spreading that the ongoing "shunto" spring labor-management wage negotiations will produce bigger pay increases than the 2023 shunto talks.
   The BOJ is at a crossroads after over 10 years since it introduced the current massive monetary easing regime under then Governor Haruhiko Kuroda. The negative interest rate policy was added to the regime in 2016.
   "We are finally in a situation where the 2 pct inflation target is in sight," Hajime Takata, a member of the BOJ's Policy Board, said in a speech delivered Thursday in the western city of Otsu, stressing that the scene is nearly set to start monetary policy normalization.
   His remark ignited speculation among market players that the BOJ will revise its monetary policy soon, leading to yen buying and a rise in interest rates Thursday.