Over 80% of Japan firms forecast economic growth as COVID curbs removed

Nearly half said they are short-staffed, but only 24 percent said they are considering pay hikes

Note "considering". So how many will be implementing? Much lower, I'd expect. This is the fundamental problem with the Japanese economy: rich greedy employers/exploited low paid employees or can't or won't doing anything about it.

About half of the companies surveyed said they plan to raise the prices of their goods and services through next fiscal year starting April.

Japan Inc.: We have benefited from generous LDP government stimulus monies during the pandemic and now that the danger is receding are looking for increasing demand and moving on to bigger and better things.

The working public who did not benefit from stimulus monies on the whole and who have seen incomes and living standards decline during the pandemic: I wonder if my 300 yen a month wage increase will cover splurging on the good eel or go into the retirement fund.

Quarterly or even annual reports of growth always have to be taken with a pinch of salt in Japan's case. How do you measure growth when the government is so cannabilistically indebted.

So why we had restrictions?

So why we had restrictions?

To try to slow and prevent the spread of a killer illness. If you don't know that by now well... dear oh dear.

How can Jeffllee can get downvotes by stating such obvious so wrong everyday heist to most workers.

Down the slope Japan is going.

Yen will not recover by the way.