In this paper, I survey the existing literature and examine three related questions: (1) What inflation rate constitutes the appropriate target for the central bank? (2) What is an operational definition of price stability for the conduct of monetary policy? (3) What is the policy framework for...

Many empirical studies show common empirical findings that the exchange rate pass-through to import prices in advanced countries declined in the 1990s. Some of those studies, however, draw contrasting conclusions regarding the factors behind the decline. Campa and Goldberg (2002) point out that...

In this paper, we empirically examine the movement of the exchange rate pass-through to the aggregate import prices in Japan from the 1980s through 2001. We demonstrate that the exchange rate pass- through to Japan's import prices fell in the 1990s, and such a decline occurred mainly during the...

In this paper, we carry out qualitative and quantitative analyses of impacts of factor market distortions on Japan's economic stagnation in the 1990s, thereby showing that resolution of structural impediments is essential for the restoration of sustained economic growth. Distortions in factor...

Exploiting theoretical implications for saving motives under uncertainty proposed by Epstein (1980), this paper empirically examines which motive is more dominant in aggregate household savings in Japan, precautionary savings or savings as waiting options. The former motive is driven by the...

This paper comprehensively investigates long-run monetary neutrality in Japan, with due consideration to the order of integration of the money stock and real output, mainly using long-term time-series data retroactively available from the Meiji Period (1868-1912). The empirical results indicate...

This commentary summarizes the authors' main points of agreement and disagreement with respect to the proposal written by Dr. Hetzel. The authors agree with Dr. Hetzel's proposal on four points: after a central bank has lowered the interest rate to zero, (1) a central bank is not in fact...

This paper provides a very tentative review of the monetary and prudential policy responses to the post-bubble adjustments in Japan. The adjustments after the collapse of the bubble have been prolonged due to (1) the rapid downward revision of the expected economic growth rate; (2) balance-sheet...

In Japan, the consumer price index (CPI) is widely used as a measure of inflation or the cost of living. The CPI is constructed by using a fixed-weight Laspeyres formula. This formula is used mainly because of its ease of calculation and comprehension, thus limiting the total cost of...

Since the latter half of the 1980s, Japan's economy has experienced the emergence, expansion, and bursting of a bubble economy, characterized by a rapid rise in asset prices, the overheating of economic activity, and the expansion of money supply and credit. This paper examines the mechanism by...