TOKYO (REUTERS) - Bank of Japan (BOJ) policy board members agreed that a virtuous cycle spanning from production to income to spending is functioning well as the economy recovers, minutes of the central bank's September policy meeting showed on Wednesday.

At the Sept 4-5 meeting, the BOJ upgraded its economic assessment to say that Japan is recovering due to growing signs that the benefits of its expansionary policy are broadening. The BOJ also left its monetary stimulus unchanged.

One member expressed concerns, however, about a weak recovery in exports and low manufacturing activity, but that member also agreed to raise Japan's economic assessment, the minutes showed.