* Cracks appearing between Abe and Kuroda over fiscal target * Kuroda feels Japan shouldn't delay tax hikes, spending cuts * Abe open to goals affording more spending flexibility -sources * Rift hurts confidence in stimulus, inflation goals By Leika Kihara and Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - A rift is emerging between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his hand-picked central bank boss on how to fix Japan's tattered finances, which could blunt the impact of the "Abenomics" stimulus policies they have worked together to prosecute.
Two years into Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's tenure, the cracks are becoming hard to conceal and could affect the timing of any further monetary easing and an eventual end to the massive money-printing programme he set in train.
Their differences over fiscal policy needed to cut Japan's staggering public debt, which at 230 percent of GDP is twice the U.S. figure and about 50 points higher than perilous Greece, have so far been masked by their shared determination to end deflation.
The perception of common purpose is critical to giving businesses, markets and consumers the confidence to change behaviour and ensure that the stimulus measures and inflation targets are effective.
But the mask began to slip last year when Abe decided to delay a sales tax hike, making Japan's primary fiscal goal harder to achieve.
"The honeymoon days are over," said Izuru Kato, chief economist at Totan Research. "Kuroda must be frustrated over a lack of progress in structural reform and fiscal consolidation." A former finance ministry bureaucrat, Kuroda feels Japan cannot afford to delay tax hikes and spending cuts given its dire fiscal state, while Abe prefers to focus more on boosting growth to raise tax revenues.
Last month a key policy panel run by Abe's right-hand man, Economics Minister Akira Amari, began debating proposals that could water down Japan's fiscal target of returning to a primary budget surplus, excluding debt servicing costs and income from bond sales, in fiscal 2020.
Abe has not resiled from that target, but the panel is laying the ground for him to add other goals that give him more wiggle-room on spending, government officials say.
BREACH OF ETIQUETTE His favourite idea, floated at the panel, is to add a goal on the ratio of debt to GDP. This ratio falls without deep spending cuts, as long as the BOJ maintains both low interest rates and solid economic growth with its massive stimulus.
Defying central bank etiquette, Kuroda spoke against the proposals at a panel meeting on Feb. 12 in front of Abe.