BOJ's Kuroda - Japan's economy recovering moderately

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Monday voiced confidence over the country's economic recovery and stressed the central bank will maintain its massive stimulus programme for as long as needed to hit its 2 percent inflation target.

"Japan's economy is expected to continue recovering moderately as a trend," Kuroda said in a speech at a quarterly meeting of the central bank's regional branch managers.

The BOJ has stood pat since expanding its massive stimulus in October last year to prevent slumping oil prices, and a subsequent slowdown in inflation, from delaying a sustained end to deflation.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Chris Gallagher)