Japan's Jan-March GDP shrinks 1.3%, hit by virus restrictions

Japan has so far registered around 11,500 coronavirus deaths, and has avoided the strict lockdowns seen in some places.

But the pandemic has nonetheless hit the economy hard in a country already struggling with weak consumption and a years-long effort to turbocharge inflation.

The semantics in these business articles express the biased aganda of Japan Inc.

Japan avoided strict lockdowns in the sense that JGov wanted to avoid at all costs broad based economic relief as done in other countries. That was the only consideration. And the present situation is the result.

And in a pandemic hit populace with austerity and unemployment, where is the mystery in low demand and a desire to 'turbocharge' inflation?

These supply side economists never cease to amaze in how entire population s are viewed as disposable resources.

Given that the Japanese economy is largely dependant on fossil fuels, surely this is story is GOOD news for the government - if its serious about its pledge to cut CO2 emissions by 46% (roll of eyes).

Most unfortunately, albeit inadvertently if not inevitably, Japan's 2021 GDP would shrink further by the end of the year. No thanks to the virus picking up the spread..

This will have a devastating effect on the already two-decade long stagnant national economy..

No one is spending no one is going out.

What did they expect a massage and a shiatsu?

Government of Japan has prioritized vested interests such as economy or Olympics than defending health and the lives of people since last year, and failed about everything.

But conceited Suga govt cannot even notice own misstep, continues to kill citizen day by day.

What "virus restrictions"? Last time I check, the virus is still rampaging.

Weed Is Super Illegal in Japan, but Its Government Is Investing in Weed Stocks

The country doesn’t observe 420, but has $80 million invested in weed stocks.

I wouldn't blame this on virus restrictions. I would blame it more on governmental idiocrasy than anything else. The government has been abysmal in their response since Suga took over. I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss the Abe days.

@JJ

Yep! The J-Gov't is always trying to place the blame on someone else.

A. Information under photo for this article.

Virus states of emergency were reimposed in January, urging people to stay at home and calling for restaurants to close earlier Photo: AFP/File

B. Title of the article:

businessJapan's Jan-March GDP shrinks 1.3%, hit by virus restrictions

C. Am I retarded? What the hell does one have to do with the other?

That has completely nothing to do with viruses, restrictions like early closing or staying at home and not traveling and such. Give everyone some money and they will order and consume like crazy without going outdoors , a rising economy you’ve never seen before. Many will also newly equip their home office and can then start to work again or found businesses of new economy and IT type for example, instead of falling, drinking, beating family in DV or consider suicide. Or in other words, shoot your Abe arrow, but target more at the bottom of the pyramid. Fill the champagne glass tower from the bottom, and so on. You know exactly what is meant. But probably nothing is done, the remaining money squeezed out of the people, going into the upper top accounts and the whole country falling over the edge. Is that maybe planned? Obviously, it is.

@Sven

Any money will got to brown envelopes to tell athletes to sneak out and spend. If you recall, there was an athlete complaining the other day that he wants to get outside the bubble and explore. So be it says God Suga. He will have his wish with a brown envelope.

I found a great quiz using real data on how effective virus-related restrictions are, recommend trying it and sharing it:

https://www.covidchartsquiz.com/

A fellow Tom Woods listener? Everyone should try this quiz to show how pointless mask mandates are and how destructive these measures have been. Though I'm surprises Japan's official figure has only been 1.3% for the quarter. Wonder what April-June will be...

Don’t tell Suga.

I am tired of this zig-zag data manipulation game. Elite financiers and prestigious credit agencies are not buying into Japan at all.

it's not 1.3%, it's a 5.1% according to the NHK.

Japan's GDP shrinks 5.1% in Jan.-Mar.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210518_09/

years-long effort to turbocharge inflation.

I don’t want to turbocharge inflation.

Inflation is the tax that no one gets to have a vote on, and the one the hits the needy the hardest.

The clowns which want to turbocharge inflation are the nutters who think central government borrowing and spending is what makes an economy go round, although all Japan has to show for it is a quadrillion yen’s worth of debt.

These supply side economists never cease to amaze

Huh, the economists cited in the article are your stock demand side economists and those in control in Japan are absolutely not supply side.

I’m a total supply sider myself and I long for a day when supply side thinking and free enterprise gets its day in the sun here in Japan.

Japan’s spending is macro ie pork belly projects.

The inability to manage the virus and the economy on a micro level is beyond them.

Contrast the micro payments in the US with one payment in Japan and it all becomes clearer.

The much sought after 2% inflation figure in Japan is possible but the politicos can’t bring themselves to aid their own people in order to generate it.

With the onset of the rainy season consumer demand will be further hit.

Will the government step up?

We all know the answer to that...