The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Tuesday revised upward its economic growth projection for Japan in 2000, saying the Japanese economy appears to be on a recovery path.

The OECD projects seasonally adjusted growth of 1.7 percent for the Japanese economy in calendar 2000, up from its previous projection in December of 1.4 percent growth. Its forecast for 2001 is 2.2 percent.

"Despite difficulties in interpreting economic data for the second half of 1999, the recovery now appears to be in place in Japan, led by exports and business fixed investment and inventory accumulation, and deflationary risks are easing," the OECD said in its semiannual Economic Outlook.

The OECD's forecast is more optimistic than that of the International Monetary Fund, which projects growth of 0.9 percent in 2000.