Confidence among Japanese manufacturers rises: Bank of Japan PESSIMISM among large Japanese companies weakened in the three months to March, the Bank of Japan's closely watched tankan survey showed today, in the latest sign of improving business sentiment as the economy gets back on the road to recovery. The data, closely watched by the central bank in formulating monetary policy, comes a few days before the central bank holds its first policy board meeting this week under the leadership of BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda. The new governor has pledged to do whatever it takes to achieve a 2 per cent price rise target in two years and is expected to take new measures despite any recent improvements in sentiment.