Japan's economy to expand in 2022, but concerns remain over pandemic, chip shortage

My prediction is that 2022 will see Japan experience a growth spurt

The huge fiscal and monetary stimulus should continue to lift the economy, unless Omicron turns out more dangerous than expected or the govt hikes taxes on consumers.

consumer spending has been strong especially spending on clothes and motor vehicles which rose 7% from Oct to Nov... c'mon folks keep swipin that credit card and maybe then, investor sentiment gets so optimistic Nikkei pushes above 32,000!

In spite of concerns with SARSCoV-2. The haphazard application of central government policies towards management of the virus is simply put: a failure. Though numbers are low, currently there is a slight surge, which had identifiable sources, in terms of the omicron variant. It is not of domestic or community origin, it is due to international travel to areas infected with omicron, one large vector being the USA.

Japan is a geographic isolate and should employ that status to restrict contact with SARSCoV-2 and all its variants, existing or emerging. Alongside behaviors among the populace such as restricting one's movements to habit and routine within geographical limits. Restricting recreational pursuits to the familiar still allows sociality without creating avenues and pathways of infection to spread the virus. Deem it life within the neighborhood keyed in with the necessities of going to work. I would allow the virus to subside, if not completely flatten out by summertime.

As for foreign tourists, an unfortunate mainstay for certain economic sectors. Put a cap on it and cultivate domestic tourism which is regional.

As for those who call for a return to normal - normal is what created the problem in the first place. Time for new and more imaginative ways of life.

Out and about in Kobe today and there are crowds everywhere.

Plenty of mask wearing and the restaurant I stopped in at for lunch had 4 customers-no problems with social distancing.

Makes no sense but again it is data manipulation, just like the recent GDP scandal. Japan hardly grows anything as the supply chain crisis continues biting hard. Even the BoJ's Kuroda quietly admits that Japan is in stagflation.