Japan slips to the world’s fourth-largest economy, behind the US, China and now Germany
Associated PressFEB 2024
Japan Slips Into Recession, Loses Spot as World's No. 3 Economy
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The Spin
Narrative A
Things look bleak for theJapanese economy. While the Q4 contraction may have been due to a trend in saving money due to inflation, a third consecutive decline is likely between January and March 2024 amid falling exports.
Narrative B
There's room for optimism in Japan, as available data for the current quarter indicates a potential recovery based on exports and on private consumption since inflation is stabilizing and wages are expected to grow.