31.   To measure business sentiment, the tankan survey calculates the percentage of firms that forecast economic conditions will improve minus the percentage that predict conditions will worsen.

32.   To measure business sentiment, the tankan survey calculates the percentage of firms seeing business conditions improve minus the percentage seeing conditions worsen.

33.   Traders were concerned ahead of the quarterly tankan survey, which is expected to show a sharp decline in Japanese business sentiment.

34.   In the next Tankan survey, the non-manufacturers diffusion index is expected to reach minus seven, the Bank of Japan said.

35.   In the next Tankan survey, the non-manufacturers diffusion index is expected to reach minus seven, it said.

36.   In the next Tankan survey, the non-manufacturing sector diffusion index is seen at minus-three.

37.   It added that sentiment looked set to remain stagnant at that level until the next Tankan survey.

38.   A key source of data for the Bank of Japan, the quarterly Tankan survey is a detailed study of Japanese businesses and their plans for the months ahead.

39.   But the yen was not likely to fall sharply because the Tankan survey had not shown a deterioration, he said.

40.   On Wednesday, the Bank of Japan will release its closely-watched quarterly Tankan survey of business confidence.