The "beats me" response.

• Position: OFF THE NEWS - Brief article

Most economic policy officials, even when lacking a clue about what's going on, find it extraordinarily difficult to admit so before a global audience. That is why new Japanese Finance Minister Koji Omi should be granted the "Most Honest Official in the G7" award. Said Omi at his first press conference, when asked about the euro and the yen: "We are not in a stage where we need to make some comment on their moves or take action ... Currencies should move in a manner that reflects the fundamentals of economies; that is our...