Tokyo - The Bank of Japan decided on Tuesday to keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged at 0.5 per cent as uncertainty spread over the future course of the world's second-largest economy amid global financial crisis.

The policy board of Japan's central bank voted unanimously to forego an interest rate hike at the end of a two-day meeting.

The Japanese economy "has been sluggish against the backdrop of high energy and materials prices and weaker growth in exports," the bank said in a statement.

The bank's board agreed to continue liquidity infusions to ease disruptions in the financial system, according to media reports.

Earlier in the day, the central bank pumped 1 trillion yen (9.69 billion dollars) into the money market.

The bank conducted an emergency measure for the 15th consecutive business day since the US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holding Inc filed for bankruptcy on September 15. (dpa)