The Bank of Japan will likely raise interest rates again around June or July, and seek to hike its policy rate to at least 1.5% in the next two years, former BOJ board member Makoto Sakurai said on Tuesday.

The Bank of Japan is holding a policy meeting from Thursday, with attention on whether it will raise interest rates again for the first time since July.

Japan's central bank has increased the cost of borrowing to its highest level in 17 years after consumer price rises accelerated in December. The move by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to raise its short-term policy rate to "around 0.5 per cent" comes just hours after the latest economic data showed prices rose last month at the fastest pace in 16 months.

The Bank of Japan raised interest rates on Friday to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stable around its 2% target.

The Bank of Japan increased interest rates on Friday to their highest in 17 years and signalled more hikes to come, sending the yen higher against the dollar.

The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates on Friday to their highest level in 17 years and signalled more were in the pipeline despite fears of turmoil under US President

Japan's central bank raised interest rates to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis and revised up its inflation forecasts.

The pace of interest rate cuts has been the focus for much of the world, but in Japan, things are going in the opposite direction. The BOJ just hiked its key policy rate to its highest level in 17 years,