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The Bank of Japan (BoJ) may consider monetary tightening if a surge in food prices triggers broader inflation, Governor Kazuo Ueda told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. He noted that a surge in certain food prices could spill over to processed foods and restaurant costs, making it easier for businesses to raise prices across various sectors. This, he said, could create sustained inflationary pressure, potentially warranting an interest rate hike. However, he emphasized that the central bank should not react if food inflation proves temporary. Consumer inflation has remained above the BoJ’s 2% target for nearly three years. Despite ongoing inflationary pressure, the board kept its policy rate at 0.5% last week as it assesses the impact of the January rate hike. Ueda also voiced growing caution over economic uncertainties, including potential risks from the U.S. trade policy, which could affect Japan’s outlook.