East Asia is expected to stage a stronger economic rebound in 2002 than was anticipated six months ago, the World Bank said Wednesday. However, the Washington-based institution remained cautious about whether the recovery, based on brisk exports, will be sustained.

In its half-year report on East Asia and the Pacific, the bank revised upward its growth outlook for East Asia in 2002 to 5.4 percent from 4.7 percent in April, and that for Japan to minus 1 percent from minus 1.2 percent.

In 2001, East Asia saw 3.5 percent growth, with Japan posting a 0.3 percent contraction, the report says.