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Summary Sept core consumer prices up 2.8% yr/yr vs f'cast +2.7%Core-core index up 4.2% yr/yr in Sept - govtData among factors to come under scrutiny at BOJ's Oct meetingTOKYO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Japan's core inflation in September slowed below the 3% threshold for the first time in over a year but stayed above the central bank target, keeping alive expectations that policymakers will phase out ultra-easy monetary policy. "While inflation weakened in September, we think inflation will only fall below the BoJ's 2% target by the end of next year," said Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia-Pacific at Capital Economics. The nationwide core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food costs, rose 2.8% in September from a year earlier - the first time it has slowed below 3% since August 2022, government data showed on Friday. All the same, the rate has tracked above the BOJ's 2% target for 18 straight months. Reporting by Takahiko Wada and Leika Kihara; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Marcel Thieliant, Takahiko Wada, Leika, Muralikumar Anantharaman Organizations: Bank of Japan, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Asia

WADA said North Korea was still non-compliant with its anti-doping code and the OCA had failed to enforce its sanction. "North Korea, the DPRK Korea, has also written a letter to them very lately telling them that the borders have opened and they can send the doping control officers for the testing which the WADA has agreed and they will be shortly sending it to the DPRK, to North Korea," Tiwari added. North Korea won 11 golds in Hangzhou, including in artistic gymnastics, shooting, wrestling, boxing and six in weightlifting. It was the first international multi-sport event North Korea attended since the 2018 edition in Jakarta. North Korea closed its borders for nearly four years because of COVID-19.

Persons: Kim Kyung, WADA, Vinod Kumar Tiwari, It's, Tiwari, Martin Quin Pollard, Robert Birsel Organizations: North, Rights, Olympic Council of Asia, Hangzhou Asian, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, OCA, DPRK, North Korea, International Olympic Committee, Beijing, Games, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, North Korea, Rights HANGZHOU, Korea, DPRK Korea, Jakarta . North Korea, Tokyo

[1/8] Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - Closing Ceremony - Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Hangzhou, China - October 8, 2023 A view of the handover ceremony at the closing ceremony REUTERS/Marko Djurica Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China, Oct 8 (Reuters) - China's eastern city of Hangzhou rounded off the 19th Asian Games on Sunday with a colourful and "joy"-themed closing ceremony after hosting the continental sporting extravaganza which organisers hailed as "one of the finest" ever. Taking place amid tight security the less-than two hour ceremony also included a handover to the hosts of the next Asian Games in 2026, the Japanese city Nagoya. The hosts' 201st gold left them two better than their previous best of 199 at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Organisers said 12,407 athletes from 45 nations competed in 40 sports at the Hangzhou Games, which were delayed for a year due to COVID-19. "We have hosted the most successful Asian Games in history" said Chen Weiqiang, Executive Secretary General of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and vice-mayor of Hangzhou.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Li Qiang, jigged, Takashi Kawamura, Randhir Singh, Gu Shiau, Kazakhstan's Moldir, Chen Weiqiang, WADA, Martin Quin Pollard, Ian Ransom, Christian Schmollinger, Toby Chopra, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Rights, Games, Nagoya, Mainichi, Olympic Council of Asia, energised, Bangkok Games, Hangzhou Games, Hangzhou Asian Games, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Olympic Council of, OCA Locations: Hangzhou, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Nagoya, Nanjing, Aichi, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Japan, Macau, North, Korea, Olympic Council of Asia

A woman looks at items at a shop in Tokyo, Japan, March 24, 2023. The Tokyo core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food but includes fuel costs, rose 2.5% in September from a year earlier, against a median market forecast for a 2.6% gain. It slowed from a 2.8% increase in August but exceeded the Bank of Japan's 2% target for the 16th straight month. Analysts expect inflation to keep slowing in coming months reflecting recent declines in commodity prices and the base effect of last year's sharp rises. The inflation overshoot led the BOJ to make modest tweaks to its bond yield control policy last month, a move investors saw as a shift away from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy.

Persons: Androniki, Kazuo Ueda, Leika Kihara, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan's, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO

☆ Vincent Zhou: Wait goes on for US skater to discover color of medal after Kamila Valieva’s positive doping test
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Don Riddell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

According to US Figure Skating, it’s the only time in the history of the modern Olympics that athletes were not awarded their medals on site. Russian Kamila Valieva competes in the women's free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Beijing. Figure Skating will continue to stand alongside and support our athletes throughout this frustrating situation,” the organization said in a statement. “There are significant economic costs associated with not receiving an Olympic medal,” Zhou said in his statement. “These Olympic athletes fund a multi-billion dollar industry,” Koehler said, noting that the IOC brings in $2.4 billion annually.

Persons: Vincent Zhou, “ I’ve, I’ve, ”, Vincent, you’ve, ” Zhou, He’s, ” Vincent Zhou, Matthew Stockman, Kamila Valieva, Valieva, David J, Phillip, RUSADA, Zhou, they’ve, haven’t, Kamila, Alexander Nemenov, Rob Koehler, “, ” Koehler, Koehler, it’s, Jean Catuffe, They’re, they’re, they’ll, It’s, Adam Nelson, Yuriy Bilonog, ” Nelson, ’ ” Nelson, WADA, Valieva –, “ There’s, Matthieu Reeb, ” Reeb, “ WADA, ” WADA, ” RUSADA, he’ll, he’s Organizations: CNN —, Winter Games, CNN Sport, Capital, Getty, Russian Olympic Committee, Sochi Games, Doping Agency, International Olympic Committee, International Skating Union, ISU, Sport, US Olympic, Paralympic, Global, IOC, CNN, Skating, Olympic, Paralympic Museum, Olympic Movement, ”, USA, Games, Valieva, US, Doping ’ Agency, “ Locations: Beijing, China, Russia, Japan, Russian, Lausanne, Moscow, AFP, Colorado, “ U.S, U.S, American, Atlanta, Athens, Canada, …

☆ CAS adjourns Valieva case, hearing to resume in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - The hearing of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's doping case has been adjourned until November after a panel of arbitrators asked for further documentation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday. "The hearing will therefore resume on 9 and 10 November 2023 in Lausanne at which time the evidentiary proceedings will be completed and the Panel will hear the parties' closing submissions. The Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) disciplinary commission found that Valieva had committed a violation for which she bore "no fault or negligence." The ISU has also asked CAS to determine the final result of the event. In her defence, Valieva said the positive test was the result of a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication.

Persons: Kamila, Valieva, WADA, Rohith Nair, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Sport, Russian, Skating Union, ISU, Olympic Committee, United, Canada, Thomson Locations: Lausanne, Japan, Russian, Bengaluru

☆ Sprinters in the wind after anti-doping officials arrive at Delhi meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - By the time Lalit Kumar crouched at the starting blocks for the men's 100 metres final at the Delhi state athletics meet on Tuesday, the 20-year-old was only ever going to finish first. However, organisers suspect they pulled out after getting wind of the imminent arrival of officials from India's anti-doping agency (NADA). "An odd withdrawal is understandable, but when seven runners withdraw, you know something is fishy," Sandeep Mehta, secretary of the Delhi Athletics Association (DAA), told Reuters on Wednesday. Mehta also confirmed that some athletes from the meet did not turn up to collect their medals, raising more doping suspicions. The country ranked second behind Russia in anti-doping rule violations in a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report published in May.

Persons: Lalit Kumar crouched, Kumar's, Sandeep Mehta, NADA, Mehta, Vimal Anand, WADA, Kumar, it's, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Jawaharlal Nehru, cramp, Delhi Athletics Association, Reuters, Athletics Federation of, Doping Agency, Indian Express, Thomson Locations: DELHI, Delhi, Athletics Federation of India, India, Russia, New Delhi

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The doping case involving teenage Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva that marred the 2022 Beijing Olympics returned to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday. Awaiting the outcome are nine American skaters who could become Olympic champions in the team event after finishing second in Beijing behind Valieva and the Russians. The first Russian anti-doping tribunal to judge the case during the Olympics in February 2022 said Valieva and her legal team “intend to conduct further investigation and present the results” at future hearings in the case. The Russian anti-doping agency also joined the appeal and suggested a reprimand would do. Valieva has not skated internationally since Beijing because of an ISU ban on Russians following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Kamila Valieva, Valieva, WADA, —, ” WADA, James Fitzgerald, France —, “, Fitzgerald, ”, Eteri Tutberidze —, Thomas Bach, Bach, ” Tutberidze, ___ Organizations: Beijing Olympics, Sport, Doping Agency, International Skating Union, ISU, United, Canada, Russian, International Olympic, IOC, Kremlin Locations: LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Russian, Russia, Beijing, Valieva, Montreal, Australia, United States, France, Japan, Sweden, Moscow, “, Ukraine

☆ Russian doping in focus as Valieva case heads to court
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Valieva was 15 when she became the first woman to complete a quadruple jump at the Olympics in the team event. The Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) disciplinary commission found that Valieva had committed a violation for which she bore "no fault or negligence." This effectively would deny ROC their team event gold medal. Vincent Zhou, one of the U.S. skaters, said in a statement on Monday that the global anti-doping system was "failing athletes." "Transparency would build confidence in a global anti-doping system that has lost the trust of its most important stakeholders: athletes."

Persons: Kamila, Valieva, haven't, Travis Tygart, what's, RUSADA, WADA, James Fitzgerald, Vincent Zhou, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Steve Keating, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sport, Russian Olympic Committee, Russian, Doping Agency, Reuters, Olympic Committee, International Skating Union, ISU, U.S, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Switzerland, U.S, Russian, Lausanne, Beijing, Geneva, Toronto

☆ US figure skater Zhou slams anti-doping system's failures ahead of Valieva hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Whenever finally held, the awards ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Figure Skating Team Event will be a symbol of the gross failures of the IOC, CAS, RUSADA (Russian Anti-Doping Agency), and other global sporting administrators. While Valieva's hearing involving RUSADA, the ISU and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) begins on Tuesday, CAS have said they cannot be sure when the final decision will be announced. Zhou added that the U.S. team had asked to observe the hearing, but were told that it was confidential. "We were told that either of the involved parties could request a public hearing, but that neither did. "An open and transparent hearing would go a long way towards helping athletes understand any decision that is rendered."

Persons: Vincent Zhou, Zhou, Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim, RUSADA, Aadi Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sport, Russian, Beijing Olympics, Skating Union, ISU, U.S, Canada, Beijing Games, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Doping Agency, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Beijing, Japan, Bengaluru

☆ Asia Olympic body backs North Korea flag at Hangzhou despite WADA ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned the flag at all major sporting events, outside the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in 2021 after deeming North Korea had failed to implement an effective testing programme. Acting OCA President Randhir Singh said Asian Games organisers and North Korea were in discussions with WADA but that the flag was still "flying". "North Korea also has written to WADA as well, explaining their position," he told reporters on Sunday. At present the North Korea flag is flying and we will look into it and see what the future says. The Hangzhou Asian Games is the first international multi-sport event North Korea is attending since the 2018 edition in Jakarta.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Randhir Singh, WADA, Singh, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, Rights, Olympic Council of Asia, North, Hangzhou Asian, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Games, Hangzhou, International Olympic Committee, Beijing, IOC, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, North Korea, Rights HANGZHOU, Korea, Korean, Jakarta . North Korea, Tokyo, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ Russia faces new sanctions for non-compliance, says WADA
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign with the logo of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) is on display outside its office in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2019. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 22 (Reuters) - The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) will face more sanctions for failing to address non-compliance issues, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Friday. Following executive committee meetings in Shanghai, WADA said it also found the Pan American Sport Organisation (Panam Sports) and the South Africa and Bermuda Anti-Doping Agencies in non-compliance with the WADA code. Both South Africa and Bermuda's non-compliance is due to a failure to appropriately implement the WADA Code into their legal systems. South Africa could be under a particularly tight deadline when it comes to the Rugby World Cup.

Persons: Shamil Zhumatov, WADA, RUSADA, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: Doping Agency, REUTERS, Pan American Sport Organisation, WADA's, Olympic Games, Sport, Rugby, Pan Am, Santiago, Panam Sports, Thomson Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Shanghai, South Africa, Bermuda, Ukraine, Africa, Toronto

CNN —Two-time grand slam champion Simona Halep has been given a four-year ban for anti-doping rule violations, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Tuesday. 1, who won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, was charged with two separate breaches of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. The first, the ITIA said, related to Halep testing positive for banned substance roxadustat – which is listed on the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List – at the US Open last year. Halep, whose last appearance was at last year’s US Open, has been suspended since October 2022. “Today, a tribunal under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme announced a tentative decision in my case,” she said in a statement.

Persons: Simona Halep, Halep, ”, “, roxadustat, Patrick Mouratoglou, “ I’m, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Tennis Integrity Agency, Wimbledon, Doping Agency, United, United States Anti, Management Unit, “, Tennis, Doping, Sport, CNN Sport Locations: United States

☆ BOJ policymaker sees shift in Japan's deflationary mindset
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Policymaker Takata stressed the need to maintain ultra-loose monetary policy for the time being, as slowing global growth was heightening uncertainty on whether the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) 2% inflation target was sustainably achievable. In an earlier speech, he said he believe Japan's economy was "finally seeing early signs" of achieving the 2% target. Two other BOJ board members earlier gave diverging views on how soon the central bank should consider scaling back its radical stimulus. Japan's core inflation hit 3.1% in July, exceeding the BOJ's 2% target for the 16th straight month. BOJ officials have said the central bank must keep interest rates ultra-low until robust domestic demand and sustained wage growth replace rising import costs as key drivers of inflation.

Persons: Androniki, Takata, Hajime Takata, Policymaker Takata, Haruhiko Kuroda, Leika Kihara, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Takahiko Wada, Tom Hogue, Lincoln, John Stonestreet Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan's, CHINA IMPACT, Thomson Locations: Japan, Tokyo, TOKYO, China, CHINA

A man walks at the headquarters of Bank of Japan in Tokyo, Japan, January 18, 2023. The central bank would take time to determine whether it can raise interest rates as it waits for evidence that a sustained economic recovery will eradicate Japan's deflationary mindset, he said. "The key is for the economy to keep recovering," Nakamura told a news conference, when asked about the conditions for ending negative interest rates. We therefore need more time before shifting to monetary tightening," he said, adding the key was to determine whether companies' growth expectations were heightening. Markets are divided on whether the BOJ could remove the yield cap before raising short-term rates, ditch both simultaneously, or keep the yield cap when ending negative rates as a precaution against an abrupt rise in long-term yields.

Persons: Issei Kato, Nakamura, Toyoaki Nakamura, Japan's, we're, Naoki Tamura, Kazuo Ueda, Leika Kihara, Christian Schmollinger, Navaratnam, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Bank of Japan, REUTERS, Hitachi Ltd, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, GIFU, Gifu

☆ A Rare Justice Department Mea Culpa
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-pcaob-kpmg-fraud-david-middendorf-jeffrey-wada-c27e6cb

Persons: Dow Jones, middendorf, jeffrey, wada Organizations: pcaob, kpmg

☆ Insight: BOJ makes bold shift as yen risks grow too big to ignore
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The BOJ's decision shook markets on Friday and contrasted sharply with Ueda's more cautious comments in recent months about the dangers of retreating too quickly from accommodative Kuroda-era policies. "There's also a small but probable risk of inflation overshooting in Japan, which gave the BOJ reason to act." NEW PRIORITIESThe BOJ's policy decision last week signalled to investors that it would now allow the 10-year government bond yield to move closer to 1% before it intervenes. 'BIT BY BIT'The shift in thinking gained momentum at the BOJ's June policy meeting, but not enough to turn the tide. It was a test case, or a preliminary exercise, toward future policy normalisation," said former BOJ board member Takahide Kiuchi.

Persons: Issei Kato, Kazuo Ueda, Haruhiko Kuroda, Fumio, accommodative Kuroda, Ueda, YCC, There's, Hirokazu Matsuno, Seiji Adachi, Asahi Noguchi, Ryozo Himino, Shinichi Uchida, Uchida, Masato Kanda, Kanda, Takahide, Leika Kihara, Takaya Yamaguchi, Takahiko Wada, Kentaro Sugiyama, Yoshifumi, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, REUTERS, TOKYO, Bank, Ueda, Reuters, BIT, Asahi, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Australia's Bol cleared of doping after false positive test
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Australia's anti-doping authority has dropped its investigation into athlete Peter Bol in the lead-up to the world championships after finding his positive test for synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) was wrong. The provisional suspension was lifted a month later after the 'B' sample of his test did not match its 'A' sample. Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) continued its investigation, though, saying the 'B' sample was an "atypical finding" and not negative. "As a result, Sport Integrity Australia has taken the decision not to progress an anti-doping rule violation for this sample. "Sport Integrity Australia will now await outcomes of the WADA review of the EPO review process," it said.

Persons: Peter Bol, WADA, Bol, Peter, Ian Ransom, Sonali Paul Organizations: MELBOURNE, Tokyo, Integrity Australia, SIA, Doping Agency, Athletics Australia, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Melbourne

☆ BOJ to keep ultra-low rates, may debate fine-tuning yield cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

At the two-day meeting ending on Friday, the BOJ is expected to maintain its yield curve control (YCC) targets at -0.1% for short-term interest rates and 0% for the 10-year bond yield. With the BOJ set to keep short-term rates negative, a tweak to the yield cap or allowance band is unlikely to trigger a spike in borrowing costs that would severely hurt the economy. There is no consensus within the board on how soon the BOJ should dial back stimulus. Former BOJ board member Takahide Kiuchi expects the central bank to eventually modify YCC, but stand pat on Friday. "I don't think the BOJ sees an imminent need to act, as markets aren't attacking its yield cap this time."

Persons: Ueda, Kazuo Ueda, Takahide Kiuchi, Leika Kihara, Takahiko Wada, Tetsushi, Takaya Yamaguchi, Yoshifumi, Kentaro Sugiyama, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan's, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, YCC

Yet, with services price growth also slowing last month, policymakers will feel that wage pressures have yet to build up enough to warrant an imminent tweak to the ultra-loose monetary stance. We'll likely see inflation slow in coming months, which would allow the BOJ to keep policy steady for the time being," said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. "While services prices may rise next year, those for goods will stay weak. "If more firms hike wages and pass on the cost, services prices could overshoot," said Yoshiki Shinke, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute. "Inflation excluding food and energy will likely moderate ahead, but the pace of slowdown could be gradual."

Persons: We'll, Toru Suehiro, Kazuo Ueda, Yoshiki Shinke, Leika Kihara, Takahiko Wada, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, Daiwa Securities, Reuters Graphics Services, Dai, Research, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

Some market players bet the central bank could widen the allowance band set around its yield target to arrest market distortions caused by its heavy bond buying. With the 10-year yield moving stably below the 0.5% yield cap, however, many BOJ policymakers see no imminent need to take fresh steps against the side-effects of YCC, the sources said. Notwithstanding abrupt moves in the bonds and yen, the BOJ is likely to make no changes to its policy framework next week, they said. "We expect the BOJ will keep major policy levers unchanged next week," said Stefan Angrick, senior economist at Moody's Analytics. More than three-quarters of economists polled by Reuters said they expect the BOJ to keep policy steady including its yield control scheme next week.

Persons: Shinichi Uchida's, Kazuo Ueda's, Stefan Angrick, Leika Kihara, Takahiko Wada, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, Moody's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BOJ, TOKYO

The nationwide core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes fresh food costs, rose 3.3% in June from a year earlier, matching a median market forecast. A hike in utility bills added to a steady increase in food and daily necessity prices, adding to the burden of households. But so-called "core core" inflation, which strips away both fresh food and fuel costs, slowed 4.2% in June from a 4.3% rise in May, a sign the rapid pace of increase seen in the past few months was moderating. As inflation perks up, markets are simmering with speculation the BOJ could soon phase out its controversial yield curve control (YCC) policy that is criticised for distorting market pricing and narrowing margins for financial institution. Under YCC, the BOJ guides short-term interest rates at -0.1% and buys huge amounts of government bonds to cap the 10-year bond yield around 0% as part of efforts to fire up inflation to its 2% target.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda's, Leika Kihara, Takahiko Wada, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

However, there is uncertainty about how long households can weather price hikes and generate inflation driven more by demand, which holds the key to whether BOJ's 2% target can be achieved in a sustainable manner, analysts say. The Tokyo core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food but includes fuel costs, rose 3.2% in June from a year earlier, accelerating from a 3.1% gain in May. While companies offered wage hikes unseen in three decades this year, inflation-adjusted real pay continues to fall in a sign of pain consumers are feeling from the wave of price hikes. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda has repeatedly said the BOJ will maintain ultra-loose policy until stronger wage growth keeps inflation sustainably around its 2% target. "The BOJ may revise up its inflation forecast but probably keep policy steady in July," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

Persons: Yoshiki Shinke, Teikoku Databank, Kazuo Ueda, Ryozo Himino, Takeshi Minami, Takahiko Wada, Leika, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kantaro, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, Dai, Research, Reuters, BOJ, Norinchukin Research, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, TOKYO

The inflation figures for Tokyo, which is seen as a leading indicator of nationwide trends, will likely keep alive expectations the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will phase out its massive stimulus this year. The increase in the Tokyo core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food but includes fuel costs, followed a 3.1% gain in May and compared with a median market forecast for a 3.3% rise. With inflation already exceeding its target, markets are rife with speculation the BOJ could soon phase out ultra-loose monetary policy under new governor Kazuo Ueda. Ueda has repeatedly said inflation will slow in coming months as cost-push factors dissipate, and that the BOJ will maintain ultra-loose policy until stronger wage growth ensures Japan can sustainably see inflation hit its 2% target. Reporting by Takahiko Wada and Leika Kihara; Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Ueda, Takahiko Wada, Leika, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, TOKYO, Japan's, Japan

☆ CAS to hear Russian figure skater Valieva's case in September
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 22 (Reuters) - Kamila Valieva's doping case hearing involving the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), International Skating Union (ISU) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will be held from Sept. 26-29, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday. Russian Valieva tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine at the Russian national championships in December 2021 but the result was only made known on Feb. 8, 2022 a day after she helped her team win gold at the Beijing Olympics. "Following the hearing, the CAS Panel will deliberate and prepare the Arbitral Award containing its decision. At this juncture, it is not possible to indicate when the final decision will be announced," CAS said in a statement. During the Beijing Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided no medals for the team figure skating event would be presented until Valieva's case had been resolved.

Persons: WADA, RUSADA, Valieva, Rohith Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Doping Agency, Skating Union, ISU, Sport, Russian, Beijing Olympics, Doping, Beijing Games, International Olympic Committee, United, Canada, Thomson Locations: Russian, Japan, Bengaluru

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