Japan Economics Weekly Delta may soon peak, Kishida seeks to replace Suga The government this week expanded state of emergencies to nearly all prefectures and consumers are responding to the surge in virus cases with renewed caution. We’ve therefore pencilled in a renewed... 27th August 2021 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Drag from emergency measures fading While new virus cases and hospitalisations have hit record-highs this week, the rebound in services consumption in Q2 suggests that households are getting increasingly blasé about state of emergency... 20th August 2021 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Hospitals under pressure, PM Suga looking vulnerable While daily cases have shown tentative signs of levelling off in recent days, severe cases will continue to rise sharply for a while yet so the threat of tighter restrictions on economic activity... 13th August 2021 · 8 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Calls for more draconian restrictions growing The number of new virus cases hit record highs this week as the Delta variant is now spreading widely. While the vast majority of the elderly are now fully vaccinated and deaths have remained low, the... 6th August 2021 · 3 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Another disappointing quarter Strong activity data for June confirm that the economy entered Q3 on a relatively strong footing. But while vaccinations are limiting the number of severe cases and deaths, daily coronavirus cases... 30th July 2021 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly A coronavirus wave for each Olympic ring While consumption remains a weak link, robust exports and capital spending in Q2 may have helped the economy just about avoid a double-dip recession. And while Japan will be in the midst of a fifth... 23rd July 2021 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Delta variant taking hold in Tokyo before Olympics A delta variant-driven fifth wave has begun and cases are beginning to surge in Tokyo ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony next Friday. However, the variant is still overwhelmingly concentrated in... 16th July 2021 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Pandemic unlikely to herald period of higher inflation With producer prices rising at their fastest pace in years and goods shortages showing no signs of easing, the risks to inflation seem to be tilted to the upside. However, we aren’t convinced that a... 9th July 2021 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Manufacturing bottlenecks may be easing The economic recovery stalled last quarter as the services sector was held back by virus restrictions and manufacturers suffered from chip shortages. However, with daily jabs now above the government... 2nd July 2021 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Silver lining to still half-full fiscal war chest The fact that only around half of Japan’s coronavirus fiscal stimulus funds have actually been spent so far supports our view that government spending hasn’t propped up the economy as much as commonly... 25th June 2021 · 8 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly State of emergency declarations to be lifted The lifting of almost all states of emergency on Sunday should translate into economic activity rebounding further next week and entering Q3 on a relatively strong footing. And with daily cases... 18th June 2021 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Vaccines for all by November, ¥1000 minimum wage The revised Q1 GDP figures and April wage data released this week suggest the economy was a little more resilient than first appeared in the early part of this year. And the economy is looking... 11th June 2021 · 7 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Industry to benefit from recovery in capital spending The slump in retail sales in April suggests that consumer spending may have fallen further during the third state of emergency. However, the medical situation is improving and the vaccination rollout... 4th June 2021 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly State of emergency extension, Olympic fifth wave? While the fourth wave of coronavirus has broken, with hospital capacity still stretched the government will today extend the emergency declarations covering half of the economy until 20 th June. That... 28th May 2021 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Disappointing Q1, Moderna & AZ jabs approved Due to the economy faring worse than we had expected in Q1, we’ve significantly revised down our 2021 GDP forecast. Even so Japan’s economy is still on course for a strong recovery later in the year... 21st May 2021 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Recovery delayed as vaccine rollout still too slow The vaccination rollout failed to accelerate markedly after the Golden Week holidays. This is entirely due to logistical challenges rather than insufficient vaccine supply, which should be resolved... 14th May 2021 · 8 mins read
