Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda defended the bank’s positive assessment of the economy on Friday. Data release out of Japan have been weak and prompted an assurance from the BOJ that they will act if needed. They just don’t think its needed right now. Exports continue their decline and not even the eventual US Economic recovery and a weaker JPY might be enough to get the Japanese economy back on track. Industrial output fell at the fastest pace since the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake. The JPY had strengthened on the back of safe haven flows that resulted after the current geopolitical turmoil around the ... (full story)