BOJ upbeat over Japan's regional economies

Tokyo

THE Bank of Japan has offered its most optimistic view on regional Japanese economies in nearly a decade, even as some firms warned that uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's trade policies could affect their capital expenditure plans.

BOJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda reiterated the central bank's resolve to maintain its massive monetary stimulus, with inflation still distant from his ambitious 2 per cent target. "Japan's economy continues to recover moderately as a trend. As for the outlook, it is expected to turn to a moderate expansion," Mr Kuroda said at a quarterly meeting of the central bank's regional branch managers on Monday.