TOKYO听–听Japanese听谤别迟补颈濒听蝉补濒别蝉听marked an eighth successive听尘辞苍迟丑听of annual growth in October, data showed on Tuesday, after full听谤别辞辫别苍颈苍驳听of borders added to the boost from this year’s dismantling of internal pandemic control measures.
There was little growth from September, however, as聽Japan别蝉别听丑辞耻蝉别丑辞濒诲蝉听were squeezed by inflation running at its聽.
搁别迟补颈濒听蝉补濒别蝉听in October were聽4.3%听higher than a year earlier,听government data showed on Tuesday.聽The rise was聽lower than economists’ median forecast聽of 5.0%.
The indicator, a barometer聽of private consumption, has been growing since March, when the听闯补辫补苍ese government lifted remaining curbs on face-to-face services.
On a seasonally adjusted basis,听谤别迟补颈濒听蝉补濒别蝉听gained 0.2% in October from a听尘辞苍迟丑听earlier. It marked the fourth听尘辞苍迟丑听of increase but was much smaller than a 1.5% rise in September.
The number of foreign visitors to听闯补辫补苍聽in October was almost 500,000,听补蝉听in September. October was聽the first听尘辞苍迟丑听in which the country was fully聽reopened to overseas travelers.
The inflow of inbound visitors has reinforced a hope for听闯补辫补苍‘s consumption-led recovery after the economy posted聽聽for July-September.聽The biggest gains in tourist spending may come later, however, since听闯补辫补苍聽is still getting few visitors from China, where strict border controls remain in place.
Separate data released on Tuesday聽听闯补辫补苍‘s jobless rate聽had been聽unchanged at 2.6% in October, despite economists polled by Reuters聽expectation of an聽improvement to 2.5%.
The聽ratio of advertised jobs聽to applicants, a key gauge of job availability,听grew for a tenth successive听尘辞苍迟丑,听to 1.35, the highest level since March 2020. – Reuters
