Japan's economy is shrinking, although slightly less than previously thought

abcnews.go.com:

The Japanese economy shrank at an annual rate of 1.8% in the first quarter of this year

TOKYO — The Japanese economy shrank at an annual rate of 1.8% in the first quarter of this year, slightly better than the initial estimate at a 2.0% contraction, according to revised government data Monday.

The revision was due to private sector investments, at minus 0.4%, up from the previous minus 0.5%.

Seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product, or GDP, a measure of the value of a nation’s products and services, remained in negative territory, as exports and consumption declined from the previous quarter.

Quarter-to-quarter, the economy slipped 0.5% in the January-March period, according to the Cabinet Office, unchanged from last month’s results.

The annual rate measures what would have happened if the quarterly rate lasted a year.

Wage growth has been slow, and prices on imports have risen amid a decline in the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar. The dollar is trading at nearly 157 yen lately, up from about 140 yen a year ago.

The weak yen has tourism booming. But it makes imports more expensive, a sore point for a nation that imports almost all its energy. Sluggish consumer spending has also been a drag on the economy. Private consumption accounts for half of Japanese economic activity.

Another negative is the ongoing scandal involving improper vehicle model tests at several major automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp., which form the pillars of Japan’s brand power. Production was halted on some models.

Government officials raided the Tokyo headquarters of Honda Motor Co. Monday. Japanese media reports said a raid was coming soon on Mazda Motor Corp. Toyota and Suzuki Motor Corp. have already been raided.

Last week,