Japan PM Abe: BOJ is guiding policy appropriately

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday members of the government's top economic council agreed that the central bank is guiding monetary policy appropriately.

Abe also said the government and the Bank of Japan have reaffirmed their resolve to stick to a joint statement they signed in 2013, under which they agreed to take necessary policy steps to beat deflation.

Under the joint statement, the BOJ agreed to do its utmost to achieve its inflation target at the earliest date possible, while the government pledged to restore long-term fiscal health.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara)