Ex-BOJ chief feared 'killing' interest rates with easing

New documents show Fukui worried about risk of buying too much public debt

20191129 BOJ Gov Fukui

Then-Bank of Japan Gov. Toshihiko Fukui speaks to reporters after a monetary policy meeting in April 2003, the year he took the post. (Nikkei archives)

ISAYA SHIMIZU, Nikkei senior staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's central bank governor from 2003 to 2008 resisted purchasing more government debt and regretted not raising interest rates faster, newly released documents show.

"After taking office, I quietly decided to myself that I would not increase buying of long-term debt," Toshihiko Fukui told Bank of Japan researchers during interviews held in 2016 to 2017.

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