Japan's top banker expresses concern over demographics changes affecting economy

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Friday changes in demographics, such as an ageing population, could make the central bank's job difficult by lowering the economy's long-term growth rate. "If the long-term growth rate declines, together with demographic changes, the natural rate of interest will decline and increase the risk for central banks facing a zero lower bound," Kuroda said in a seminar at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He also said an ageing society could lead to weaker credit demand, pushing financial institutions to take on more risk in search of higher yields and potentially destabilising the financial system.