TOKYO—The Bank of Japan has abandoned its attempt to predict when the nation will reach 2% inflation, another sign that Japan has yet to fully escape its long period of falling prices.
The central bank removed on Friday a forecast date for 2% inflation from its economic outlook, the first time it has done so since Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda introduced his “bazooka” of radical monetary easing five years ago. Mr. Kuroda offered a target date shortly after taking office in 2013, saying he thought inflation would hit 2% within two years....