Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa has sounded a positive note about the central bank's policy coordination with the government in helping the country overcome deflation. "Under the zero interest rate environment, it is necessary for the government and the BOJ to join forces while clearly recognizing the role each other should play" in beating deflation, Shirakawa said in an interview. "The BOJ wants to push ahead with monetary easing by utilizing the remaining room for interest rate declines, and we are actually doing so," he said. Keeping in mind that the government might conclude a policy accord with the BOJ, ... (full story)