Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami said Friday that an end to deflationary fears is nearing -- which may mean an end to the zero-interest rate policy -- amid a brightening picture for the Japanese economy.

But he also said the central bank will have to keep a close eye on the outlook for income conditions for a little longer before deciding whether deflation concerns have indeed receded.

"We are getting closer to the stage where we can say deflationary concerns have been wiped away, but there remain some factors we should continue paying attention to," he told a news conference.