The Bank of Japan maintained its assessment Thursday on eight of nine regional economies from January, but cut its view on the Tohoku region, where production was dampened by a slowdown in emerging economies.
The BOJ kept intact its view that all regional economies are either recovering moderately or are on a recovery trend as a whole, though some regions including Shikoku and Kyushu downgraded assessments on production and housing investment.
The nation's economy is under pressure from a rising yen and recent falls on the stock market, while consumer spending remains sluggish.
In downgrading its view, the BOJ said Tohoku's economy "has continued its moderate recovery trend, as production has continued to be somewhat weak, affected mainly by the slowdown in emerging economies."
Earlier in the day, BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda vowed to further ease monetary policy to achieve the bank's 2 percent inflation target if necessary, while maintaining its accommodative monetary policy with a negative interest rate.
Despite slowing exports and production, the BOJ chief said the world's third-largest economy is on a moderate recovery trend and is expected to expand moderately, according to a summary of remarks he made at a quarterly meeting with branch managers.
Kuroda noted that consumer prices, excluding fresh food, are almost flat compared with a year earlier due mainly to cheaper energy, but he said 2 percent inflation remains within reach.