As Kuroda's right-hand man, he has consistently called for the need to keep monetary policy ultra-loose to ensure Japan makes a sustained exit from deflation. Like Amamiya, Nakaso is considered a safe pair of hands with his expertise on central bank affairs. The BOJ's dovish stance has made it an outlier among a global wave of central banks tightening monetary policy to combat surging inflation. "While Kuroda is at the helm, the BOJ's ultra-loose monetary policy won't change," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute. "But under a new leadership, the bank could reassess its view on the inflation outlook and thinking on monetary policy."

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