The Bank of Japan is likely to raise interest rates next week barring any market shocks when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office, and maintain a pledge to keep pushing up borrowing costs if the economy continues to recover,

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Thursday the central bank will debate next week whether to raise interest rates, based on its fresh quarterly growth and inflation forecasts.

BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda reinforced his deputy’s message this week that his board will consider a rate hike at the meeting, boosting the yen and expectations for action.

The yen was poised for its strongest weekly performance in over a month as expectations grow that the Bank of Japan will raise rates next week, putting the dollar on the back foot ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

The deputy governor said the bank will discuss whether to raise the policy rate or not at the meeting, based on the latest outlook on the economy and prices.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda sent a fresh reminder to bankers that he’s going to raise the benchmark rate if the economy continues to improve this year.

The remarks, which echo those made by BOJ Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino on Tuesday, pushed up the yen as markets continued to price in the chance of a rate hike at the bank's next policy meeting on Jan. 23-24.

T he Bank of Japan’s Deputy Governor, Ryozo Himino, has hinted at a potential interest rate hike during the upcoming policy meeting on January 23-24. In an interview last Friday

Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino reiterated that the central bank will raise rates if its outlook continues to be realized, while adding that there are risks both at home and abroad that require attention.

The Bank of Japan will raise interest rates and adjust the degree of monetary support if improvements in the economy and price conditions continue, Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Wednesday.