Japan's monetary and fiscal stimulus measures are aimed at beating deflation and boosting economic growth, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday, shrugging off criticism from some overseas policymakers that Tokyo was trying to intentionally weaken the yen.

"I strongly hope that the Bank of Japan pursues bold monetary easing to achieve (2 percent inflation) as soon as possible," Abe said in parliament, keeping up pressure on the bank to expand monetary stimulus to beat deflation.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Shinichi Saoshiro)