Economic policy minister says government is not pushing for low interest rates

Economic policy minister said Tuesday that media reports claiming the government is attempting to keep interest rates low are not accurate. “There’s absolutely no truth to reports suggesting that the government is encouraging low interest rates as part of its fiscal expansion policy,” the minister said at a regular news briefing in Tokyo.

The minister added that the administration will increase efforts to clarify its intentions if they have not been accurately conveyed.

Market scrutiny Financial markets have been watching for signs of how the administration plans to increase investment without adding to the country's debt burden. The central bank has raised interest rates twice since the current prime minister took office last autumn. Investors continue to assess whether the administration intends to slow further rate increases.