TOKYO, July 31 -- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan issued the following news release:

At the Monetary Policy Meeting held today, the Policy Board of the Bank of Japan decided, by a unanimous vote, to set the following guideline for money market operations for the intermeeting

period:

The Bank will encourage the uncollateralized overnight call rate to remain at around 0.5

percent.

Reference Meeting hours:

Wednesday, July 30: 14:00-15:51 Thursday, July 31: 9:00-11:50 Policy Board members present: UEDA Kazuo, Chairman (Governor) HIMINO Ryozo (Deputy Governor) UCHIDA Shinichi (Deputy Governor)

NOGUCHI Asahi NAKAGAWA Junko TAKATA Hajime TAMURA Naoki KOEDA Junko MASU Kazuyuki [Others present]

July 30 From the Ministry of...