As Japan posted highest
inflation since 2008 as the result of Abenomics it seems like Abenomics
it really working but bigger question is here how long BoJ can continue
meddling economy??
Even before Japan can stage a convincing growth rebound, fears are already building over a sharp slowdown in the world's third largest economy, with one analyst warning of a possible recession next year.
Economic indicators published on
Tuesday including weaker-than-expected industrial production and household
spending for June, highlighted the fragility of the recovery.
Industrial output fell 3.3 percent in
June from May, against expectations for a decline of 1.8 percent. Household
spending for the month fell 2 percent month-on-month, lower than forecasts for
a rise of 0.7 percent. Employment data, however, was a bright spot, with the
country's jobless rate falling to 3.9 percent, the lowest since October 2008.
"The economy is improving.
However, the big question is if Japan can continue to keep growing beyond April
2014 when consumption tax rate is hiked," said Takuji Okubo, chief
economist at Japan Macro.
"The risk is that the Japanese
economy could deflate when the tax rate is raised, possibly prompting the
economy to enter into a recession in the second half of 2014. I fear that this
downside risk is growing," Okubo said.
The consumption tax on goods and
services is due to rise to 8 percent next April from the current 5 percent, and
to 10 percent in 2015, under the current law. It is seen as key to helping
reduce Japan's high debt burden, but there are worries that a hike too soon
could derail a nascent economic recovery.
According to a report from the local
Nikkei newspaper on Tuesday, the government plans to forecast growth of 1
percent in real gross domestic product for the fiscal year 2014 ended March
2015, from 2.8 percent in the current fiscal year, due to fiscal tightening and
fading effects of economic stimulus.
Okubo says while the government is
likely to unveil a stimulus package in the form of public works spending, it
will be insufficient to counter the effects of fiscal tightening.
"If the Japanese economy is to
keep growing in 2014, other demands will have to make up for the loss of fiscal
easing. Unfortunately, I do not see a source of such compensating demand,"
he said.
"The private investment is
starting to firm up, but I do not see it being strong enough to save the
economy. The export demand offers some hope, but with the dismal outlook on
Chinese economy and Europe still on the fiscal austerity, I do not think it is
realistic to count on an export boom," he added.
Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko
Kuroda has backed the sales tax increase, saying on Monday that it would not harm
the economy and is needed to repair public finances.
"His comment sounds like a mere
wishful thinking. In our view, the BoJ can and should do more to help stimulate
the demand through lowering interest rates and driving yen lower," Okubo
said.
Uncertainty over a rise in the
consumption tax has weighed on the sentiment of equity investors with the
benchmark Nikkei 225 coming under pressure in the recent days. The index has
declined 6.5 percent over the past week.

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