Former BOJ policy board member predicts Japan's central bank may raise benchmark interest rate to 0.5% by year-end under stable conditions.

Former Bank of Japan (BOJ) policy board member Takako Masai predicts Japan's central bank may raise its benchmark interest rate to 0.5% by the end of the year if economic conditions remain stable. Corporate and household inflation expectations have shifted as prices have risen over the last two years. The BOJ needs to communicate better on the potential impact of a weaker yen on consumption.