Japan Aug Household Spending Slips Amid 5th Wave of Pandemic, Bad Weather
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending plunged in August as people were cautious about shopping or traveling amid the fifth wave of pandemic that was causing hospital bed shortages in major cities, data released Friday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed. Heavy rains from mid-August caused damage and disrupted traffic […]
ANALYSIS UPDATE: Japan PM Kishida Inherits Thorny Economic, Social Change Targets
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is facing the same tough economic and social challenges that his predecessors tackled or created, leaving him no choice but to draw up longer-term plans to embark on a fundamental change. The soft-spoken former foreign minister, who leads the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has […]
FACT SHEET: THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION’S NEW APPROACH TO THE U.S. – CHINA TRADE RELATIONSHIP
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a fact sheet issued by the U.S. Trade Representatives Office and the White House, summarizing the comments by USTR Katherine Tai Monday in an appearance at the Washington think tank CSIS: Joe Biden ran for president on a promise to restore the backbone of this country, the middle class. […]
BOJ Sept Key Tankan Business Sentiment Up But Outlook Uncertain
— Higher Energy, Commodities Markets Support Some Producers— Automakers Report Worse Sentiment As Supply Constrains Linger— Face-To-Face Service Providers Suffer Amid Covid-19 Spike— BOJ Survey Also Shows Companies Revise Up FY21 Capex Plans By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Higher energy and commodities prices this year further boosted confidence among many manufacturers, big and small, while […]
Japan Aug Factory Output Slumps as Global Supply Chain Disruptions Continue 
— Japan’s METI Downgrades View: Factory Output Pausing Vs. Picking Up –METI Repeats: Watch Effects of Rising COVID Cases, Global Chip Shortages By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted an unexpectedly large decline in August as pandemic-caused lockdowns in Southeast Asia are straining parts supplies further and global semiconductor shortages lingered, preliminary data […]
MaceNewsViews: Commentary – Even With a Prisoner Exchange, China Seen as Heavy-Handed
By Eric Ham WASHNGTON (MaceNews) – Now that China has completed a prisoner exchange with Canada and the United States with high-stakes trade and economic ramifications, its international reputation as heavy-handed and clumsy has not necessarily been improved. Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor landed in Calgary, Alberta early Saturday in exchange for Meng Wanzhou, […]
MaceNewsViews: Commentary – Sorry, Europe, the US – and China – Won’t Let You Sit This One Out
By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The German federal election proceeds as if the choices don’t matter all that much. Regardless of the personalities a relatively centrist coalition will finally endeavor to strike the path ahead, in Germany’s case, a path of least resistance – as long as it can. Climate, stability, prosperity. Chances are, […]
Japan Aug Core CPI Flat Y/Y After Year-Long Drop; Energy Pickup Slows
— Total CPI Marks 11th Straight Y/Y Drop As Fresh Vegetable Prices Slump — Downward Pressure From Low Cost Mobile Phone Plans Intensifies By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Higher costs for energy and processed food continued easing the downward pressure on Japan’s core consumer prices, which was flat on year in August after a year-long […]
BOJ Keeps Easing Stance, Sees Resilient Japan Economic Pickup Amid Pandemic
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Wednesday it is maintaining its stimulative policy, as expected, to support a gradual recovery from the pandemic-caused slump and continue its eight-year-old campaign to guide low inflation toward stable 2%. The central bank largely left its view on Japan’s resilient economic pickup amid the pandemic […]
Japan Govt Sees Slower Economic Pickup Amid Disrupted Supply Chains, Pandemic Spike
— Consumption, Factory Output Downgraded While Exports on Track By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday provided a more cautious view of the recent pickup in the domestic economy, saying its pace is slowing in the face of global supply chain disruptions and a surge in coronavirus cases, according to its monthly report released […]