To counter this brake on growth, the Bank of Japan maintained interest rates that were far lower than those in U.S. and Europe -- loaning money at zero interest for five years earlier this decade.

• 为消除通缩对经济的抑制作用，日本央行一直将本国利率维持在远低于欧美国家的水平，在本世纪的头5年，贷款利率保持在零水平。