Japanese economy shrinks 0.5% in third quarter

These days it's hard to think of Japanese products that are reasonably priced compared to other brands. Japanese electronics appear more expensive than the competition. Their cars are as much as German ones. They seem to have lost their angle.

Whatever happens, BOJ will not change its stance.

Even with near record tourism.....

But it's inevitable, really. The ageing population will lead to a reduction in consumption, which is the main driver of the economy.

It's like Groundhog Day again and again. Nothing ever changes.

I’m far from being an economist, but if the economy has been poor for, I don’t know, say twenty years perhaps we need to do something different. Why don’t we introduce more women into the team, this Kishida looks, sounds and acts clueless.

And of course the BOJ will say.: the economy is too weak to change anything. So we will have more weakening of the JPY, more inflation, lower real income, lower private consumption and the economy will get even worst! And the BOJ will say the economy is to weak to change anything…

if only Einstein could come back and tell them “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different result”

I’m far from being an economist, but if the economy has been poor for, I don’t know, say twenty years perhaps we need to do something different. Why don’t we introduce more women into the team, this Kishida looks, sounds and acts clueless.

It may not be so much the gender of the cabinet ministers or the bureaucrats as the containment and restrictions Japan has to work under.

Japan was the lab mouse and a test for the US. China has learned the lessons from Japan’s failure to not stand up to the U.S. Look how well Huawei is fighting US sanctions now. Toshiba was the Huawei back in the day. Huawei owes Toshiba lesson fees.

Cant compete? Sanction!

Look how well Huawei is fighting US sanctions now. Toshiba was the Huawei back in the day. Huawei owes Toshiba lesson fees.

Nail hit on the head. Not sure why you getting down voted bro. Such a lack of innovation in Japan over past 30 years. Ambition has gone out the window. I suppose that comes with an average age of just about 50, now. Conservative geriatrics running the show.

1.5 percent, smashing expectations 

Pretty low expectations.

I am going to sound like a broken record raise the interest rates and the so yen rebounds and in which turns brings down the cost of imports.

Great point, bring up the status of woman's status in the workplace.

Officially raise the retirement age to 65 and so that companies cannot drop the income of those who wish to continue on with their jobs and that makes it worth their while to do so.

The prime minister announced this month a stimulus package worth 17 trillion yen...

So he's going to try to stimulate the economy with fiscal infusions and then put damper on the economy by raising taxes shortly afterward. Crazy policy.

Useless Japanese politicians!

Willing to waste taxpayer money at every turn.

Japan needs a complete system change!

toraToday  05:09 pm JST

Even with near record tourism.....

But it's inevitable, really. The ageing population will lead to a reduction in consumption, which is the main driver of the economy.

100% agree. This is the whole problem of the Japanese economy (and Japan is just a pioneer, many developed countries will face the same issue in the coming years).

And it can not be addressed by permanently loose fiscal and monetary policy which just boost economies temporarily with a lot of side effect.

Sta, stag, stagflation?

I am going to sound like a broken record raise the interest rates and the so yen rebounds

The BOJ have already stopped trying to contain market rates, the long term rates, below 0.5% and now 1%, but that hasn’t stopped the yen plummeting back to about 39 year lows versus the USD and 10+ year lows versus the Euro.

As for the policy rate, the short term one, the BOJ can’t raise that too much before the BOJ bleeds red ink, since that would imply paying banks interest for excess reserves in accounts at the BOJ. The costs would shortly overwhelm income the BOJ receives on its assets. Raising that rate a smidge won’t help the yen much.

The BOJ has to stop printing money, and the government has to stop spending money.

Tighten money supply. Slash government spending. Slash the shackles on the economy (myriad regulations on everything) and do some proper tax rate cuts and other tax reforms… this is the sort of policy mix that might strengthen the pathetic yen, but Japan’s politicians haven’t got a clue about what works because no one has done any good policy in Japan for decades.

It would be interesting to know how different areas of the country are performing. The entire Tokyo area seems stale,stagnant, stuck in terminal decline and people generally lack energy but Kyushu seems energetic and people optimistic.