Business confidence among Japan’s largest manufacturers improved in the first quarter of 2026, with the closely watched Tankan Large Manufacturers Index rising to 17 from 15 previously.
The latest reading, covering the first quarter of 2026, marks a modest but clear uptick from the 15 recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025. The move suggests that sentiment in Japan’s key industrial sector is strengthening, indicating a more optimistic outlook among major manufacturers regarding production, demand, and overall business conditions.
The data, updated on 31 March 2026, will be closely followed by investors and policymakers as a gauge of economic momentum in Japan, given the Tankan survey’s role as a leading indicator for corporate investment and broader activity in the manufacturing sector.
