【Bank of Japan Committee Member: Inflation Target May Be Reached Sooner Than Expected, Interest Rate Hike Should Be Considered Soon】Golden Finance reported that Naoki Tamura, a member of the Bank of Japan's Policy Board, stated during a speech to business leaders in Fukushima Prefecture on Wednesday that the Bank of Japan should consider further interest rate hikes soon, as inflation may reach the target earlier than expected. He said: "My basic idea is that the central bank will not carry any preconceived analytical data or various information, but will timely and appropriately raise the policy interest rate and adjust the degree of monetary easing based on the improvement of economic activity and prices, without haste." He believes that the speed of rising inflation may exceed the Bank of Japan's expectations, forcing it to take decisive action amid global uncertainties.