TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - The government cannot forcibly pump funds into banks to raise their capital despite the central bank governor's call for injections by the end of March, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said. Bank of Japan governor Masaru Hayami "says it would be better to make the injection by the end of the fiscal year, but we cannot make forcible injections under the current law," Shiokawa said. According to a law enacted last April, the prime minister can tap a 15 trln yen pool of funds, after calling a meeting of the Council for Financial Crisis, made up of top ministers and officials, including the BoJ governor if there is a risk of systemic failure. The fund can be used for emergency injection of public funds into financial institutions, to guarantee bank deposits or to take over a collapsed entity. Shiokawa said the government can only act if a bank is collapsing or special investigation finds its capital at dangerously low levels. "The Financial Services Agency says there is no such need (for the public fund injection) at the moment. So, the forcible injection (of funds) is impossible," he added.