Bank of Japan governor discharged from hospital after liver cyst treatment

Bank of Japan governor was discharged from the hospital Friday after treatment for a liver cyst infection that began June 9. The governor did not attend a policy meeting earlier this week. Officials stated the governor is scheduled to return to work on the 23rd.

Treatment and schedule "The Governor was discharged from the hospital today and is scheduled to return to work on the 23rd," the BOJ said in a statement Friday. "For approximately the next two weeks, he is expected to continue carrying out his official duties while undergoing outpatient treatment." The governor was expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks.

Policy actions during absence During the governor's absence, the policy board raised the benchmark interest rate to 1 percent, the highest level since 1995. That decision continued a normalization process that began in March 2024 when the bank ended its negative-rate policy. Deputy officials presided over the June 16 meeting and conducted the post-decision news briefing.