- 1.0% increase in production from December (forecasts were for +1.5%)
- Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expect output to rise 5.3% in February and 0.3% for March
- The data covers the first full month in office for new PM Shinzo Abe
“I think Japan’s recession is over. There are worries about yen gains, so there is a need to reduce volatility in the market. The government is cutting back on verbal intervention, but the Bank of Japan’s easing stance means the yen should remain lower.”
