BOJ keeps views on all 9 regional economies unchanged

July 8, 2019

Tokyo--The Bank of Japan kept unchanged its ratings for all of the country's nine regional economies in a quarterly report on Monday, while pointing to "heightening uncertainties" abroad, due partly to U.S.-China trade friction.

Still, the central bank made an addition to the assessment for the Kinki western region, newly saying that "some weakness has been observed in part."

"A somewhat increasing number of firms were pointing to heightening uncertainties over the outlook for overseas economies and their impacts," the BOJ said in the Regional Economic Report.

In the July report, a machine tool maker in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, was quoted as saying that orders have decreased further since May.

At present, the uncertainties about overseas economies have no major impact on corporate earnings, Yasuhiro Yamada, manager of the central bank's Osaka branch, said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, a business operator in the city of Okayama voiced eagerness to continue labor-saving investment, according to the report. Jiji Press