Japan Economics Weekly Shadows over 2019 lift We expect the global economy to slow further next year which will be a headwind to trade. But the government has recognised the threat to domestic demand posed by next year’s sales tax hike and... 21st December 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly JGB yields slide, tourists turn away Ten-year Japanese government bond yields this week dropped back to below their level when the Bank of Japan widened the tolerance band in July. The stealth tightening that some talked of at the time... 14th December 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly The puzzle of low wage growth One explanation for the persistent weakness of wage growth in Japan, despite the tightness of the labour market, is that employment growth has been skewed towards positions with low hours and low pay... 7th December 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Economy rebounding, government details tax offsets This week brought reassurance that the contraction in the economy in Q3 was largely due to one-off factors. The early signs are that there has been a strong rebound this quarter. In the week ahead... 30th November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Oil and inflation, Ghosn and corporate governance The slump in global oil prices will deliver a windfall to Japanese firms and households but it creates a headache for the Bank of Japan: lower energy prices will knock half a percentage point off... 23rd November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Economy contracting, Japan still loves cash The contraction in Q3 GDP that was confirmed this week is likely to be followed by a rebound over coming quarters. But the bigger picture is that growth momentum has weakened since last year and... 16th November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Q3 bright spots fade, better lies ahead The past week’s data cast a shadow over some of the few remaining bright spots in Q3. Next week’s GDP release is very likely to show that Japan’s economy contracted for a second time this year... 9th November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Immigration door opens a little further The new types of work visas Japan’s government plans to introduce in April will probably result in an even greater inflow of foreign workers over the coming years. That’s a step in the right direction... 2nd November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Regional banks in the spotlight, Abe in China We still think that the solution to the continued fall in regional banks’ capital ratios is a reduction in the number of lenders rather than an increase in the BoJ’s 10-year yield target. Japan’s... 26th October 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ to slow bond purchases, but not due to US US insistence that provisions against currency manipulation be a part of any future trade deal with Japan has raised suggestions this week that Japanese policymakers, particularly those at the Bank of... 19th October 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Banks still struggling, another look at Japan’s debts The government has indicated that it will be more lenient in applying antimonopoly legislation when assessing regional bank mergers. That should pave the way for a further consolidation of... 12th October 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Households remain gloomy, yen to strengthen again Japan’s labour market is as strong as most of today’s workers will ever have known, which makes the persistent weakness of consumption all the more puzzling. Spending remains flat according to data... 5th October 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Carmakers get a reprieve, the BoJ’s case for easing Japan’s government this week caved to US pressure to start discussions on a bilateral trade deal. But it appears to have won some valuable concessions in return. Meanwhile, we learnt more about what... 28th September 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Loose monetary policy not undermining bank lending Recent comments by Prime Minister Abe suggest that he is no longer obsessed with overcoming deflation and would like the Bank of Japan to focus more on the financial stability part of its mandate... 21st September 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Japanese exporters back in the firing line Recent comments by President Trump suggest that he may target Japan next in his efforts to reduce the US trade deficit. Trump may want Japan to increase pressure on China to end unfair trading... 14th September 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Abe delaying retirement, Q2 growth strong Prime Minister Abe is set to remain in power for another three years following the LDP leadership elections. One of the few substantive reform proposals he has put forward is an increase in the... 7th September 2018 · 1 min read
