TOKYO: Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda offered a cautiously optimistic view of the economy on Wednesday, saying it would continue to improve although risks were skewed to the downside.

Speaking at a trust association's meeting, Kuroda pledged to "patiently" continue with powerful monetary easing to achieve the central bank's 2% inflation target.

"Japan's economy remains in a severe situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic although it is picking up as a trend," he said.