Japan's Economy Expanded 0.5% In Latest Quarter
TOKYO -- Japan's economy accelerated in the July-September quarter, aided by robust increases in exports and spending by the corporate sector.
Gross domestic product, the widest measure of economic activity, expanded 0.5% from the second quarter in real, or price-adjusted, terms, the government announced Tuesday. That was equivalent to an annualized growth rate of 2%. It was also faster than the April-June quarter, when the economy grew at an annualized 1.5% rate. The government had said April-June growth was 1% but revised that estimate.
The latest GDP number beat the expectations of most economists, some of whom had even forecast a contraction in the quarter after a string of weak economic indicators over the past few months.
The results did include a few worrisome numbers. Private consumer spending, which accounts for 55% of GDP, declined 0.7% from the previous quarter. This was the weakest consumption number since the fourth quarter of 2004, which was the last quarter in which Japan's overall GDP shrank.
The sluggish consumption was in part attributed to unusually cool weather in July, which suppressed spending on clothing and leisure-related items. Partly as a result, Japan's imports declined 0.1% in the quarter.
Exports increased 2.7% from the previous quarter. Also contributing to growth was a continued increase in capital spending by businesses, which expanded 2.9%.
日本经济第三季度增长0.5%
日本经济在第三季度（7-9月）实现加速增长，主要得益于出口和公司支出的强劲增长。
日本政府周二宣布，7-9月日本国内生产总值(GDP)经价格因素调整后较第二季度增长了0.5%，折合成年率增长了2%，比第二季度折合成年率的1.5%要快。日本政府之前对4-6月折合成年率的增长速度估测为1%，但后来对其进行了修正。
日本最新的GDP数据好于大多数经济学家的预期。考虑到日本在过去几个月公布了一系列疲软的经济数据，一些经济学家甚至预测日本经济第三季度会萎缩。
不过，最新的结果中确实有一些令人担忧的数字。占日本GDP 55%的个人消费支出较前一季度下降了0.7%，这是自2004年第四季度以来最弱的消费数据。2004年第四季度以后，日本GDP开始摆脱下降的势头。
消费支出不够活跃的原因之一可以被归结至日本今年7月不同寻常的凉爽天气，这抑制了日本人在衣服及休闲相关物品上的支出。日本的进口也受这个因素的影响在第三季度下降了0.1%。
日本出口额较前一季度增长了2.7%。企业资本支出同期增加了2.9%，它的持续稳步上升促进了GDP的增长。
Yuka Hayashi
