Japan’s economy was always likely to slow in the third quarter after the surge of output it generated in the second. But the latest data have still been rather disappointing. While investment remains strong, industrial output may have contracted, consumer spending was flat, and net trade doesn’t appear to have provided much support either. The lack of vitality in consumer spending is a particular puzzle given that, on paper, just about everything is going right for households at the moment, with unemployment at historic lows and wage growth finally picking up.
Become a client to read more
This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.
Already have an account?
You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.
Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it
Register for free
Sign up for a free account to:
- Unlock additional content
- Register for Capital Economics events
- Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
- Request a free trial of our services