TOKYO — Optimism among Japan's largest manufacturers rose slightly in a key quarterly survey published by the central bank on Friday, with analysts warning the figures pointed to sluggish growth ahead.The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey reports the difference between the percentage of companies who see current business conditions as favorable and those who do not.A positive figure means more businesses are optimistic.
'The mediocre increase in business conditions across all firm sizes in the latest Tankan suggests that activity is unlikely to rebound meaningfully this quarter,' said Toh Au Yu of Capital Economics.Japan's economic growth slowed between July and September, partly because of one of the fiercest typhoons in decades and warnings of a major earthquake, which did not materialize.