Japan central bank retains ultra-loose policy

TOKYO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Tuesday maintained ultralow interest rates as expected at its first meeting this year, while revising down its inflation forecast for fiscal 2024 as price increases ease.

The central bank said at the end of its two-day policy meeting that core consumer prices, excluding volatile fresh food, are now expected to rise 2.4 percent for the fiscal year starting in