70% of major firms expect economic expansion this year: survey

Does the "bag" comes with some "strudel"?

The top solution was the creation of workplaces that women can thrive in

No it isn't. The solution is to give workers raises when their employers do well, like companies used to do in the good old says. Growth was at least twice as high back then, and female participation and opportunities were a lot lower.

There ARE ways of achieving growth. The problem is that today's companies don't want to do them.

Is that shin-okubo? I bought a bag from that guy I think

70% of major firms expect economic expansion this year: 

That read 'hope for' not expect. Abe has done nothing except feather the nests of his crony mates in the six years since he took office. Why do they 'expect' this year to be any different?

Is that shin-okubo?

Not quite, it's Ameyoko, you can see part of the last kanji character on the street sign.

As for the story, we hear the same story from Japanese companies, especially those related to Japan Inc. Every year they are hopeful for more growth, yet every year growth fails to materialize, and the BOJ continues to miss it's "price stabilization goal" (inflation) by a significant amount. Psychology is important, but we are less than three years from the Olympics, and we have not yet seen an economic boost yet, only a huge increase in public debt.

Japan's population has fallen again this year, and there are that many fewer consumers of Japanese products and services. Fewer buyers mean lower consumption, less demand, fewer profits, and lower wages. Japanese companies are sitting on top of vast amounts of debt, accumulated over decades, which their paper assets come nowhere near to covering. They cannot invest in a shrinking economy (a fool's game) without risking what capital they have, and investing outside Japan is also risky, in the face of increased competition, and sub-2% growth in developed countries.

Good to see support from companies for getting rid of protectionism. If only Abe would now actually just do it - like the food company said the cons of increased competition from cheap imports (e.g. on protected vested interests) will be more than offset by the benefits of freedom for other actors in the economy. Abe could boost his broad support by enacting such policies.

Not much growth in Japan!

When workers begin to receive Pay rices and bigger bonuses then I will begin to believe articles like this one.

There is growth for Japanese companies but it isn't in Japan, rather it is in countries like Myanmar , Vietnam, China, and Indonesia etc.