Business confidence among major Japanese manufacturers improved to 22 in June from 17 three months earlier, the Bank of Japan's Tankan survey showed Wednesday.
The sentiment index measuring confidence among companies such as those in the auto and electronics sectors was higher than the average market forecast of 16 in a Kyodo News tally.
The index for large nonmanufacturers, including the service sector, stood at 37, up from 36 in the previous survey in March.
