<div id="readability-page-1"><div><p><span>Bank of Japan policymakers debated the need to continue raising interest rates to levels deemed neutral to the economy with some arguing doing so will help achieve long-term, stable growth, the minutes of their October meeting showed on Wednesday.</span></p><p><span>A few in the nine-member board also said recent yen declines could lead to an overshoot in inflation by pushing up import costs, the minutes showed.</span></p><p><span>At the October 29-30 meeting, the BOJ kept interest rates steady at 0.5% but Governor Kazuo Ueda sent a strong signal on the chance of a near-term rate hike. At the subsequent meeting in December, the central bank raised rates to 0.75%.</span></p></div></div>

<p>The Bank of Japan's October meeting minutes reveal discussions on raising interest rates to neutral levels for stable growth. Concerns were raised about yen declines leading to inflation due to higher import costs. Although rates were kept at 0.5% in October, Governor Ueda hinted at a near-term hike, which occurred in December, raising rates to 0.75%.</p>

- Bank of Japan policymakers discussed the necessity of raising interest rates to neutral levels, with some members believing it could foster long-term stable growth.  
- Concerns were expressed that recent yen depreciation might result in increased import costs, potentially overshooting inflation.  
- Although the BOJ maintained rates at 0.5% during the October meeting, a subsequent increase to 0.75% occurred in December, following Governor Kazuo Ueda's indications of a near-term hike.

BOJ debated need to keep raising rates, October meeting minutes show