Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to reporters at his ministry in Tokyo September 18, 2002 after the Bank of Japan announced its decision to buy stocks from banks. Yanagisawa said that financial regulators would cooperate with the BOJ. "Details are still pending and there are various views, but we would like to cooperate," he said. The central bank sent a shockwave through financial markets with its announcement earlier in the day that it would consider new measures to prompt the disposal of banks' massive shareholdings, including buying shares directly from banks.