Japan Q4 GDP Growth Unexpectedly Revised Down on Softer Consumption 

— Capex Shows Slight Downward Revision Vs. Projected Upward Revision — Public Works Revised Down As Expected, Its Negative Contribution Unrevised — Q1 GDP Growth Seen Slower Amid Covid Restrictions, Rising Costs, Ukraine By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economic rebound in the October-December quarter was unexpectedly revised down slightly as consumer spending turned out […]

Preview: Japan Q4 GDP Rebound Seen Revised Up Slightly on Capex

— Private Consumption To Remain Key Growth Driver in Revised Data — Forecasts for Firmer Capex, Weaker Public Works Based on MOF Survey — Q1 GDP Growth Expected To Slow; BOJ January Consumption Index Slumps By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economic rebound in the October-December quarter is likely to be revised up slightly as […]

Japan January Unemployment Edges Up To 2.8% Amid Covid Restrictions

— Job Cuts Y/Y Deeper in Wholesale, Retail, Education— Hospitality Jobs Up on January 2021, When Covid State of Emergency Imposed By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Job creation in Japan remained weak in January compared to a year earlier and the unemployment rate edged up from December as more people either lost their jobs or […]

Japan January Industrial Output Dips As Covid Infections Hit Auto Factories

–METI Keeps View Output Shows Signs of Pickup As Firms See Rebound in Feb –METI To Watch Effects of Spread of Pandemic, Parts Shortages, Ukraine  By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted the second straight drop in January, slipping after a surge in November, as a spike in Omicron-led coronavirus cases caused some […]

Japan February Tokyo Core CPI Rise Picks Up From January on Utilities, Processed Food

–Hotel Fees Slower After 2021 Double-Digit Gains Over 2020 Subsidized Discounts–Utilities Leading Energy Higher; Durable Goods Down As Stay-at-Home Demand Wanes–Most of Base Effect in Mobile Phone User Fee Cuts To Last Through March By Mas Sato (MaceNews) – The year-on-year rise in consumer prices in Tokyo, the leading indicator of the national average, picked […]

Analysis: Japan Economy Faces Headwind in Light of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s wobbly economic recovery faces downside risks from high energy and commodities prices, which have surged on tensions over Ukraine between Russia and the West and could rise further on supply concerns now that Russia has invaded its neighbour. The direct impact of economic sanctions against Moscow on Japan’s trade […]

Japan January Core CPI Rise Shrinks as Hotel, Insurance Upward Base Effects Wane

— Both Core and Total CPI Measures Mark 5th Straight Y/Y Gains on Energy — Utilities Push Up Overall Energy Costs; Durable Goods Prices Slide By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Japan posted the fifth straight year-on-year rise in January but the pace of increase decelerated sharply as the 2021 base effects of […]

Japan Government Downgrades View: Some Weakness Seen in Pickup Hit by Covid

— Pickup in Consumption Pausing on Resumed Covid Restrictions — Business Investment Moving Upward as Seen in Q4 GDP Rebound By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday downgraded its economic overview for the first time in five months, noting the recent spike in coronavirus cases sparked by the Omicron variant is hurting consumer spending, […]