TOKYO (Reuters) -Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida has been hospitalised for leukemia treatment and will work remotely for a few weeks, the central bank said on Friday.
The 63-year-old career central banker has been in hospital since November 7, but is expected to attend the BOJ’s next rate review meeting on December 18 and 19, the central bank’s media relations division said.
Uchida is a member of the BOJ’s nine-member policy board along with Governor Kazuo Ueda and the other deputy governor, Ryozo Himino.
Having spent most of his career drafting monetary policy, Uchida became deputy governor in March 2023 for a five-year stint. During his public appearances, Uchida has frequently dropped crucial signs about future policy moves and is seen as a key figure in setting the course of monetary policy.
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, characterised by the rapid growth of abnormal blood cells. Common treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and stem-cell transplant.
After the December policy meeting, the BOJ will hold another rate review on January 22-23.
(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Mariko Katsumura; additional reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Aidan Lewis)
