MNI 5 THINGS: BOJ: Japan Regions See Growth Despite Trade Rows

     TOKYO (MNI) - The Bank of Japan's quarterly regional economic report

released Monday showed that all the nine regions left their economic assessment

unchanged from three months ago, thanks to higher exports and private

consumption.

     The key points from the report:

     -- The six out of the nine regions reported that their economy had been

expanding or expanding moderately and the remaining three said that the economy

had continued to cover moderately. All regions reported that capital investment

was increasing and presented an upbeat assessment of private consumption.

     -- There were concerns over the impact of the protectionist U.S. trade

policy on global demand but companies maintained views that exports and

production would continue rising.

     -- The Nagoya branch manager overseeing the Today region, central Japan,

reported that a machine tool company said both exports and production were

expected to increase moderately. A company in the car industry said it has no

plans to change its business plans because the impact of U.S. trade disputes is

a concern for the future and not now. Toyota Motor is based in the region.

     -- The Kinki region reported that its economy had been expanding

moderately, although that the effects of the earthquake in northern Osaka

Prefecture had been observed in some industries. The Osaka branch manager

reported exports of auto parts to the U.S. were increasing.

     -- The Hiroshima branch manager reported that a car industry firm said

exports to the U.S. and Europe were increasing, thanks to strong demand for

sport utility vehicles. Mazda Motor is based in Hiroshima Prefecture.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-4670-5309; email: max.sato@marketnews.com

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