The Bank of Japan revised its assessment of the economy slightly upward in its monthly report released Tuesday, saying things appear "to have stopped deteriorating."
For months the central bank had said the deterioration of the economy "has moderated." The wording in Tuesday's report indicates the BOJ has revised its view to take a more upbeat tone.
The BOJ report on the nation's economic and financial developments for March cites an increase in public investment and inventory adjustments as contributing to the new trend. It said the downward momentum that has long plagued production at manufacturers has -- at least for the time being -- dissipated.