Kuroda brushes aside view BOJ has run out of tools to ease monetary policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Friday the central bank was ready to expand monetary stimulus if needed, brushing aside the view the BOJ had little ammunition left to fight the next economic downturn.

"It might be the case that central banks have less room to cut interest rates than before. But that doesn't mean central banks have no ammunition left to respond to financial developments," Kuroda told a news conference after the Group of 20 finance leaders' meeting.

"The BOJ also has room to ease monetary policy further if doing so becomes necessary," he said.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Tom Brown)