Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration has a habit of co-opting Nobel Prize-winning economists when it lays the groundwork for contentious policy decisions.
It's not surprising then that the visit of Christopher Sims, a professor at Princeton University, has ignited speculation in Japan that the government may be looking to soften its deficit reduction targets or yet again postpone a hike in the consumption tax.
Sims sees monetary policy as constrained by interest rates having hit rock bottom and advocates that the government step into the breach with expansionary spending.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.