Released on: October 30, 2009
The general index of consumer prices in September 2009: 100.4 (2005=100) -2.2% from the previous year.
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Frequency of release: Monthly
Comment: Consumers continue to seek products at lower prices. Luxury goods are not popular among Japanese consumers (especially young Japanese women) any more. This is not a good sign for companies. They are worried about deflations.
November 07 2009 | Statistics | Comments Off
Released on: Oct 14, 2009
- Consumer Confidence Index in September 2009: 40.5 (+9.1 from the previous year)
- Overall livelihood: 40.8 (+10.2 from the previous year)
- Income growth: 38.5 (+2.7 from the previous year)
- Employment: 36.4 (+7.5 from the previous year)
- Willingness to buy durable goods: 46.1(+15.8 from the previous year)
Source: Cabinet Office
Frequency of release: Monthly
Comment: The figures look too positive. However, I do not sense that the data reflect the actual attitudes of Japanese. They are more pessimistic than these index.
November 07 2009 | Statistics | Comments Off
Released on: October 19, 2009
Composite Index of Tertiary Industry Activity for August 2009: 97.1, +0.3% from the previous month (seasonally adjusted).
- Scientific Research, professional and technical serices (+5.9% from the previous month)
- Compound Services (+2.8%)
- Finance and Insurance (+1.9%)
- Medical, Health Care and Welfare (+0.7%)
- Real Estate and Goods Rental and Leasing (+0.5%)
- Transport and Postal Activities (+0.5%)
- Learning Support (+0.9%)
- Living-related Personal Services and Amusement Services (-0.1%)
- Whole sale and Retail Trade (-0.9%)
- Electricity, Gas, Heat Supply and Water (-0.9%)
- Information and Communications (-1.4%)
- Accomondatins, Eating and Drinking Services (-2.0%)
- Miscellaneous Services (-2.4%)
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Frequency of release: Monthly
November 07 2009 | Statistics | Comments Off
Released on: October 30, 2009
The number of unemployed persons in September 2009 was 3.63 million. The unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, was 5.3%, 0.2-point decrease from the previous month. (but still high…)
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Frequency of release: Monthly
November 07 2009 | Statistics | Comments Off
Released on: October 1, 2009
Business Conditions:
[Large Enterprises] Sep.’09 (Jun. ‘09)
Manufacturing :-33 (-48)
Non-manufacturing : -24 (-29)
[Medium-sized Enterprises]
Manufacturing : -40 ( -55)
Non-manufacturing: -30 (-36)
[Small Enterprises]
Manufacturing: -52 (-57)
Non-manufacturing: -39 (-44 )
Source: Bank of Japan
Frequency of release: Quarterly
November 07 2009 | Statistics | Comments Off
Big news. The Cabinet Office announced that Japan’s economy grew 3.7 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter, positive GDP for the first time in five quarters.
The Japanese government says that the Japanese economy is out of recession. But, really? We are still skeptical - the employment rate is still high, wages continue to fall, and small and medium enterprises continue to suffer.
Time for “Banzai” is yet to come.
August 17 2009 | Weekly Articles | No Comments »

Cherry blossoms cheer people up. Let’s get “Genki”!
April 01 2009 | Life and Weekly Articles | No Comments »
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