The Bank of Japan is close to ending eight years of negative interest rate policy, with expected historical wage hikes heightening the prospect of a landmark shift away from its massive stimulus programme next week. Internal preparations for an exit have been in the works since Kazuo Ueda took office as BOJ governor in April last year, and were mostly done by year-end, say sources familiar with the bank's thinking. BOJ officials, including Ueda, have recently stressed the timing of a shift away from negative rates would depend on the outcome of this year's annual wage negotiations between workers and employers. The ... (full story)