BOJ board members earlier Thursday voted 7-2 to keep monetary policy steady. Looking ahead, the central bank reiterated its optimistic view, saying that "Japan's economy is expected to continue to recover steadily." Overall Japanese bank lending was flat on year in January, avoiding a fall for the first time since the BOJ began compiling such data in January 2001, according to data released Wednesday. The data show that private firms are gradually looking forward and taking more risks, a sign that deflation in the private sector may soon end. The lending data are welcomed by central bank officials who are looking for evidence not only to determine that the economic recovery is sustainable, but also when the quantitative easing policy can be ended.