BoJ chief defends negative-rate move as economy sinks

Japan's central bank chief on Tuesday defended a negative interest rate policy slammed as a desperate bid to keep alive efforts at resuscitating the world's number three economy. Haruhiko Kuroda's comments came after the Bank of Japan held off unleashing more stimulus following a two-day meeting, as it gauges the impact of its unprecedented move into sub-zero rates. Tuesday's policy announcement was the first since the BoJ caught markets off guard in January with its plan to effectively charge c