BoJ chief Shirakawa to step down on March 19

Bank of Japan chief Masaaki Shirakawa said on Tuesday he would step down about three weeks before his term ends, after the central bank and Japan’s new government butted heads on policy matters.

Shirakawa said he hoped his successor would be sworn in at the same time as the bank’s new deputy governors, without making a direct reference to friction with Tokyo.

“The two deputy governors’ terms will expire on March 19,” he told reporters.

“I told the prime minister that I will resign on March 19 so that a (new) governor can start with two deputy governors.”

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1143800/boj-chief-shirakawa-step-down-march-19