Tankan Survey

The Tankan survey is an economic survey of Japanese businesses issued by the central Bank of Japan, and is used to formulate monetary policy.

The Tankan survey covers thousands of Japanese companies with a specified minimum amount of capital, although firms deemed sufficiently influential may also be included. The companies are asked about current trends and conditions in the business place and their respective industries as well as their expected business activities for the next quarter and year.

The Tankan survey is one of the key financial measures in Japan and has considerable influence in stock prices and the currency rate. The portion of the Tankan survey that provides an index of large manufacturers is considered to be a leading gauge of Japanese economic growth. The report is released four times a year in April, July, October and mid-December.

Japan’s economy is highly developed and one of the largest in the world. Japan is the world’s third largest automobile manufacturing country and has the largest electronic goods industry. Japan is also often ranked among the world's most innovative countries and leads several measures of global patent filings.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is headquartered in Nihonbashi business district in Tokyo. The BOJ is responsible for issuing and handling currency and treasury securities, implementing economic policy, maintaining the stability of the Japanese financial system and providing settling and clearing services. Like most central banks, the BOJ also compiles and aggregates economic data and produces economic research and analysis.

The Japanese governor, Haruhiko Kurodaank as of June 2018, is the head of the BOJ, along with two deputy governors and six executive directors. The governor, deputy governors and executive directors belong to the bank's Policy Board, which is the Bank's decision-making body. The Board sets currency and monetary controls, the basic principles for the Bank's operations, and oversees the duties of the Bank's officers, excluding auditors and counselors. The Policy Board includes the governor and the deputy governors, auditors, executive directors and counselors.

The BOJ decides and implements Japanese monetary policy to maintain price stability. The Bank adjusts interest rates for the purpose of currency and monetary control using operational instruments, such as money market operations. The Policy Board decides monetary policy at Monetary Policy Meetings (MPMs). At these meetings, the Policy Board discusses the nation's economic and financial situation, sets the guidelines for money market operations and sets the BOJ's monetary policy stance for the immediate future.