Financial conditions in Japan have been accommodative on the whole. Although the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has remained in some segments of small and medium sized firms in particular, financial positions, including of these firms, have been on an improving trend. Given these developments, the Policy Board of the Bank of Japan, at the Monetary Policy Meeting held today, decided to phase out the Special Funds-Supplying Operations to Facilitate Financing in Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and shift to fund-provisioning that would meet a wide range of financing needs (a unanimous vote). (1) ... (full story)