Shaded DI = "narrowing considerably" + 0.5 × "narrowing somewhat" areas indicate the root mean square of the deviation from － 0.5 × "widening somewhat" － "widening considerably." the trend. Source: BOJ, "Senior loan officer opinion survey on bank lending practices Source: BOJ, "Tankan." at large Japanese banks."
Bank credit and the market  In 1999 the ratio of new bad debts to total lending has fallen to its lowest level in the decade. The improvement, which had already been perceptible for some time in industrial lending, has spread to construction and services. In August the stock of bad loans held by banks was 5 per cent lower than a year earlier.