Japan Data Response Retail Sales & Industrial Production (July 22) Industrial production rose at a solid pace in July whereas most of the rise in retail sales values reflected soaring prices. While the manufacturing sector should bounce back this quarter, services... 31st August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Data Response Labour Market (July 22) The unemployment rate stayed unchanged in July and we do not see much room for further tightening in the labour market in 2022. 30th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Kishida eager to revive nuclear energy August’s Tokyo CPI showed a further jump in electricity prices. Against this backdrop, PM Kishida announced that he wants to restart more nuclear reactors and build new ones, but it remains unclear... 26th August 2022 · 8 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan Flash PMIs (Aug. 2022) August’s PMIs indicate a further slowdown in the manufacturing sector as demand slumped even further, while services continue to bear the brunt from the record Covid-19 wave. 23rd August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Short term productivity outlook is bleak Already sluggish productivity growth has slowed even further since the pandemic, a disappointing result since Japan’s level of productivity remains much lower than in any other G7 economy. Two key... 19th August 2022 · 4 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan Consumer Prices (Jul. 2022) Headline inflation was the highest since 1991 in July and we think it still has higher to climb. But this will not make the Bank of Japan budge on its ultra-easy monetary policy. 19th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan External Trade (Jul. 2022) Japan’s trade deficit widened to a record high in July but it should start to shrink over the coming months as supply shortages and commodity prices continue to ease. 17th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan GDP (Q2 2022 Preliminary) Japan’s economy grew in Q2 driven mainly by private consumption, though the overall figure disappointed mainly due to fluctuations in stockbuilding that won’t last. The recovery should persist through... 15th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Demographic woes persist, tourists waiting at the gate An exodus of long-term migrants contributed to the 0.6% fall in Japan’s population last year but with border controls loosened since March net migration is bouncing back strongly. Even so, we still... 12th August 2022 · 7 mins read
Japan Chart Pack Output will return to pre-virus trend eventually With a record virus wave sweeping across the country and consumer confidence slumping, we’re slashing our forecast for Q3 consumption growth from 0.8% to 0.2%. While the government has refrained from... 8th August 2022 · 10 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly The rise and fall of Japan's energy imports Japan is still struggling to wean itself off fossil fuels despite a new government push to boost solar power. However, the country has become more energy efficient over the past decade, which has... 5th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan Labour Cash Earnings (Jun. 22) The jump in wage growth in June was mostly driven by a surge in summer bonus payments and the Bank of Japan’s 3% wage growth target will remain out of reach for a while yet. More positively, the... 5th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Update Consumption to remain tepid despite fiscal transfers Real disposable household incomes will continue to be propped up until mid-2023 by fiscal transfers intended to offset the impact of virus disruption and rising inflation. But spending will continue... 27th July 2022 · 3 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan Consumer Prices (June 2022) While inflation fell slightly in June, it will remain above the BoJ’s 2% target until early-2023, while underlying inflation will approach 2%. However, the Bank won’t respond with tighter policy. 22nd July 2022 · 2 mins read