Japan Government Keeps Economic View on Gradual Pickup but Warns of Global Tightening, Rising Prices
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday maintained its economic overview after upgrading it last month, indicating consumption is leading a pickup in domestic demand amid a spike in Covid cases while firms are keen to invest in equipment for streamlined and greener operations, according to its monthly report released by the Cabinet Office. […]
Japan PM Kishida Shuffles Cabinet as Support Sags Over Ruling Party Ties to Cult
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shuffled his cabinet Wednesday, seeking to shore up sagging voter support amid revelations that ruling party lawmakers have done little to counter what some lawyers say are illegal activities by the Unification Church, which has cultivated close ties with conservative politicians for over five decades. […]
Japan Government Upgrades View: Consumption, Jobs Leading Gradual Economic Pickup
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Tuesday upgraded its economic overview for the first time in three months in July as consumption is on a clearer pickup path, led by job creation and pent-up demand, but real wages are falling amid rising inflation and the weaker yen is eroding purchasing power, according to its […]
Japan May CPI Annual Rate Remains Above 2% on Fuels, Food, Appliances
By Max Sato –Core CPI +2.1% Y/Y for May, April Largest in Over 13 Years If 2014 Sales Tax Hike Impact Excluded–Total CPI +2.4% Y/Y for May, April Largest in Over 30 Years Excluding Impact of 2014, 1997 Sales Tax Hikes–Pace of Energy Price Rise Slower; Household Durable Goods Prices on Uptrend (MaceNews) – Consumer […]
Japan Govt Keeps View Economy Showing Signs of Pickup as Eased Covid Rules Prop Up Sentiment
By Mas Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Monday maintained its economic overview for June after upgrading it in April as the drag from the pandemic appears to have waned while continuing to warn about the impact of the protracted Ukraine war, Covid restrictions in China, supply bottlenecks and fluctuating financial markets, according to its monthly […]
Japan April Household Spending Dips Y/Y on Car Supply Delays, Less Cooking at Home
–Spending Up M/M As People Dine Out, Travel More Freely After Covid Rules Eased By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s real household spending posted the second straight year-on-year drop in April as supply bottlenecks hampered car purchases and people dined out more freely, spending less on groceries compared to a year earlier when a Covid […]
Japan April Retail Sales Rise Further After Govt Eases Covid Rules in Late March
–METI Upgrades View: Retail Sales Showing Signs of Pickup Vs. Being Flat–Shoppers Flock to Department Stores; Clothing Up on Summer Weather–High Fuel Costs Prop Up Retail Sales; Supply Delays Keep Auto Sales Down By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese retail sales in April posted solid gains for the second straight month both on the year […]
Japan April Industrial Output Slips on Dimmer Global Demand, Chinese Lockdowns
–METI Downgrades View: Factory Output Pausing Vs. Showing Signs of Pickup–METI Repeats: To Watch Effects of Pandemic, Parts Shortages, Inflation, Ukraine By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted the first month-on-month drop in three months in April as global reopening demand turned lower and Chinese Covid lockdowns caused further supply delays, preliminary data […]
Japan April Jobless Rate Edges Down to 2-Year Low; Payrolls Post 1st Y/Y Rise in 7 Months
–Number of Lost Jobs Down While More People Look for Other Openings–April Unemployment at 2.5% Lowest Since 2.4% in April 2020 By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese payrolls rose from year-earlier levels for the first time in seven months in April as easing Covid restrictions prompted various service providers to hire more people, while the […]
Japan May Tokyo CPI Y/Y Rise Around BOJ’s 2% Target but FY22 Uptick Seen Temporary
–May Tokyo CPI Annual Rate Highest in Nearly 3 Decades Excluding 2014, 1997 Sales Tax Hike Impact–Energy, Food Prices Lead Inflation; BOJ Sees Impact of Commodity Market Spike Fading in FY23–Gasoline Price Markups Smaller on Govt Subsidies; Utilities Costs High but Also Easing By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The year-on-year rise in consumer prices in […]