  The latest development came Tuesday with the Bank of Japan's
announcement that it was setting an inflation target of 2
percent—twice the current target. It was a signal that the Bank
of Japan is ready to accept the risk of higher inflation in
exchange for combating a prolonged bout of deflation.
Interest rates: Has kept its benchmark rate at 0.75 percent, a
record low.  Bond buying: Unveiled in September a plan to buy
unlimited amounts of government bonds to help lower borrowing
costs for countries struggling to manage their debts. Earlier,
the ECB gave banks more than euro 1 trillion ($1.3 trillion) in
low-interest loans lasting up to three years. The loans provide
secure financing at a time when some banks can't borrow
normally.   Interest rate: Has kept its benchmark rate at a
record low of 0.5 percent since 2009.  Bond buying: Announced
last summer a plan to buy more government bonds from financial
institutions. The goal is for the banks to use the extra cash to
lend to businesses and househo