Japan gov't upgrades GDP growth forecast

Japan’s government revised up its growth projections for the current and next fiscal years, forecasting the economy to expand 1.9 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively.

Consumer inflation is estimated at 0.7 per cent for this fiscal year and 1.1 per cent next, underscoring the challenge for the central bank to accelerate inflation to its 2.0 per cent target as prices continued to lag an economy growing at a steady pace.

The gross domestic product projections compared with earlier estimates by the Cabinet Office of 1.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent growth respectively in the current and next fiscal years.

Japan’s economy has expanded at a steady pace this year, lifted by surging exports growth that has kept the manufacturing sector humming, reports Reuters.

A key conundrum for policymakers remains persistently low inflation that is complicating the Bank of Japan’s efforts to exit its massive stimulus.

The government’s growth estimates were higher than those seen by the central bank and most private-sector economists, while the inflation projections are more subdued than the central bank’s rosy forecasts.

The Cabinet Office forecast on Tuesday that nominal economic growth of 2.0 per cent for the current fiscal year and 2.5 per cent for the next fiscal year from April 1, they said.

Higher nominal growth estimates point to government expectations for greater tax revenue.

The growth projections will be used to estimate tax revenue and compile next year’s budget draft, expected to be endorsed by the cabinet on Dec. 22.

The government usually issues economic projections for the coming fiscal year in December when compiling the annual budget, and revises them around mid-year.