Masaaki Shirakawa: Japan’s economy and monetary policy Speech by Mr Masaaki Shirakawa, Governor of the Bank of Japan, at a meeting held by the Naigai Josei Chousa Kai (Research Institute of Japan), Tokyo, 29 January 2010. *  *  *  Introduction I am privileged to have the opportunity to speak before such a large audience today.
Thinking back, this time last year, the global economy and financial markets were in the midst of a rapid and large decline, and I think many business managers were seized by the fear that no bottom was in sight.