from today's Nikkei

2009年02月20日 19時16分55秒 | 新聞記事から
日銀 企業の資金繰り支援強化 銀行経由 社債買い取り1兆円 3カ月物資金年0.1%で供給 市場金利低下促す

The Bank of Japan decided on Thursday at its monetary policy decision meeting to strengthen its supporting measures for private companies' collecting funds.Specifically, it will extend half a year until the end of September this year the current scheme in which the bank provides necessary funds for financial institutions with a 0.1-percent interest a year in security for corporate bonds or commercial papers.And also it will revise the period of its loan from the current within three minths to for three months across the board.
This aims at reducing the practical interst rates for a rather long period around three months, which is an actual loan period for most private companies.
In terms of corporate bonds, the bank starts buying them up to 1 trillion yen starting in March. And the period for it buying private companies' commercial papers also is extended through the end of September this year.
Thhis is one of private firm-supporting measures by the Bank of Japan.