By Satoshi Sugiyama

TOKYO (Reuters) -The Bank of Japan will raise its key interest rate in either October or December, a majority of economists said in a Reuters poll, while nearly 96% of them expect borrowing costs to increase at least 25 basis points by end-March.

Although Sanae Takaichi, a fiscal dove who insisted the government reassert its sway over the central bank, became prime minister, two-thirds of respondents, 20 of 30, said that would not delay the BOJ’s push for slightly tighter monetary conditions.

In the October 14-20 poll, 60% of economists, or 45 of 75, expected the Japanese central bank to raise short-term interest rates to 0.75% from 0.50% this quarter.

By end-March, about 96%, or 64 of 67, forecast borrowing costs to reach at least 0.75%.

Of 35 economists who speci

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