TOKYO: After a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda vowed to take appropriate action amid the ongoing global financial market turmoil due to fears of the new coronavirus.

"We're paying considerable attention to market movements and will take appropriate steps when necessary in a timely manner and without hesitation," Kuroda told reporters.

Kuroda was apparently referring to the BOJ's liquidity supply and purchases of exchange-traded funds.

The BOJ is slated to hold a regular policy-setting meeting for two days from Wednesday after the government this week adopted an additional emergency policy package to cut the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

On Thursday, Abe and Kuroda had regular talks for about an hour as Japanese shares were slumping and the yen was soaring against other major currencies. Their previous regular meeting took place Sept. 12 last year.

JIJI Press