Confidence among Japan's biggest manufacturers has tumbled to the worst level since 2009, a key survey showed Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic hits global demand and disrupts production. The Bank of Japan's June Tankan business survey -- a quarterly poll of about 10,000 companies -- showed a reading of minus 34 among major manufacturers, the lowest level since June 2009 when the global financial crisis hit the world's third-largest economy. The shock headline reading compares with market expectations of minus 31, and is worse than minus 8 in the previous survey in March, the first negative reading in seven years. kh-ric/jah