BOJ Kuroda says will take into account side effects of easy policy

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Tuesday the central bank would take into account the side effects of its massive stimulus programme in guiding monetary policy.

"We will patiently pursue powerful monetary easing to achieve 2 percent inflation," Kuroda said in semiannual testimony in the upper house of parliament.

"We will guide monetary policy taking into account its side effects such as its impact on financial institutions, particularly regional banks," he said.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Chris Gallagher)