BOJ cuts economic assessment of 8 of Japan's 9 regions

TOKYO Jan 15 (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan cut its assessment of eight of Japan's nine regional economies compared with three months ago, underscoring the widening pain from slumping exports on the economy already in mild recession.

"Many regions said their economies were moving on a weak note or weakening due to the continued slowdown in overseas growth," the central bank said in a quarterly report issued at a meeting of its regional branch managers on Tuesday.

The BOJ to cut its assessment of eight out of nine regions for the second straight quarter.