The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Wednesday decided to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 0.1 percent.

Toward the end of a two-day policy meeting, the BOJ's eight-member policy board, as widely expected, voted unanimously to hold steady the rate for unsecured overnight call money.

The BOJ also decided to extend its dollar-funding operations beyond the expiration date of October 30 to February 1.

In addition, the central bank will continue emergency steps of buying corporate bonds and commercial paper from financial institutions and special loan program until December 31, instead of the previously set expiration date of September 30.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2009)