Japan’s Aso Urges Joint Monetary, Fiscal Policies to Spur Inflation

Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, wearing a protective face mask, delivers his policy speech at the opening of an ordinary session of the parliament in Tokyo, Japan on Jan. 18, 2021. Issei Kato/Reuters

TOKYO—Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso called on Tuesday for a combination of monetary and fiscal policies to help boost inflation towards the Bank of Japan’s 2 percent inflation target, saying easy money policy has its limit.

“We must utilise both monetary and fiscal policies” to bring inflation to a certain level, Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting.