TOKYO (Reuters – Japan’s finance minister Taro aso stated Monday that he has proposed lowering Japan’s central bank’s 2% inflation goal when oil prices plunged from 2014 to 2015.

Aso was the finance minister for almost nine years and said that the reason the government couldn’t declare an end of deflation was because of the slump in oil prices.

In his last news conference as finance minister Aso stated that “it would be difficult to achieve 2% inflation with oil prices falling so much” and suggested that Governor Kuroda should reconsider. He was referring to Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda.

Aso added that the “governor” said he will do all he could to meet the goal. He also said policymakers need “to examine at some time” why the BOJ has failed to attain its inflation target of 2.2%.

This is a reminder of how politicians and government have distanced themselves away from BOJ’s target many years back, despite the central bank’s assurances that the BOJ could achieve its target by increasing or maintaining stimulus.

Aso was involved in discussions with the BOJ during the time when, under political pressure to be more aggressive against deflation in its stand, the BOJ reluctantly established a 2% inflation goal in January 2013. This target was set by Masaaki Shirakawa (ex-BOJ Governor).

Kuroda was elected governor in March 2013. He launched a huge asset-buying program to help Japan pull out from deflation. The inflation rate has not risen despite the rapid increase in money supply and several other measures of easing since then.

As a cabinet member, Aso supported BOJ’s efforts to stimulate the economy. However, Aso has expressed doubts about whether monetary policy can bring the economy out from the ruts.

Fumio Kishida, the new prime minister of Japan is expected to create a cabinet on Monday. The finance minister position will be held by Shunichi Suzuki Suzuki, Aso’s brother in law.