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By Hideyuki Sano

TOKYO, July 10 (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan might announce next week that it will extend measures to support corporate finance but is almost certain to keep its policy rate unchanged at 0.1 percent.

Confidence in the strength of any recovery is fragile, so the BOJ is likely to extend the measures, which include buying commercial paper and corporate bonds from banks and long-term loans to banks at 0.1 percent interest, beyond September.

Central bankers will also discuss how the economy is doing compared with the central bank's half-yearly economic outlook report. Here are some scenarios on the meeting:

ANNOUNCE AN EXTENSION OF SUPPORT FOR CORPORATE FINANCE:

This is likely either next week or in the August meeting. The majority view within the Bank of Japan is that the extraordinary measures should be extended beyond their September deadline without significant changes.

While some Bank of Japan officials say signs of recovery in the economy and in credit markets may call for a retreat from the measures, most argue conditions remain tough enough to warrant an extension.

Retreating too early would send the wrong signal and could set the economy back at a time when it has excess production capacity and labour following four straight quarters of contraction.