Japan’s economy shrank less than initially estimated in the first quarter but the broad impact from the coronavirus crisis is still expected to send the country deeper into recession.

A series of recent April data including exports, factory output and jobs figures suggested Japan is facing its worst postwar slump in the current quarter as the outbreak forced people to stay at home and businesses to close globally.

The world’s third-largest economy shrank an annualised 2.2 per cent in January-March, revised data showed on Monday, less than the 3.4 per cent contraction indicated in a preliminary reading and compared with a median market forecast of a 2.1 per cent drop.

The revised data confirmed Japan had slipped into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years, after a 7.2 per cent contraction in October-December, pressured by last year’s sales tax hike and the US-China trade war. Recessions are defined as two straight quarters of contraction.

Japan should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, its economy minister said, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory.

The remark by Yasutoshi Nishimura, made in an exclusive interview with Reuters, underscores the challenge Tokyo faces in supporting an economy bracing for its worst postwar slump, while preventing a renewed spike in infections.

“What’s most important now is to protect jobs and help businesses survive the pandemic,” Nishimura said in the interview conducted on Saturday.

“We’re not at a stage yet where we want to stimulate consumption and encourage people to travel a lot. Efforts to stimulate consumption should wait a bit more,” he said.

“The upward revision to Q1 GDP displayed in the revised estimate is cold comfort given that output is plummeting this quarter. We expect GDP to fall by another 9 per cent this quarter,” said Tom Learmouth, economist at Capital Economics.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy contracted 0.6 per cent in the first quarter compared with an initial reading of a 0.9 per cent decline.

Business spending showed gains after the finance ministry’s survey earlier this month, which was used to calculate the revised gross domestic product, drew fewer respondents than usual. Spending is expected to falter in coming months.

Capital expenditure rose 1.9 per cent from the previous quarter, reversing from a preliminary 0.5 per cent fall.

Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan’s economy, fell 0.8 per cent compared with the preliminary 0.7 per cent decline, as solid demand for daily necessities was offset by declines in spending on services.

Net exports - or exports minus imports - subtracted 0.2 percentage point from revised GDP growth, as the coronavirus slammed global demand.

Analysts are forecasting the economy will suffer an annualised contraction of more than 20 per cent in April-June after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a state of emergency and requested citizens to stay home and businesses to close to prevent the virus spreading.

Although the emergency was lifted in late May, the economy is expected to recover only moderately in coming months due to the pandemic’s sweeping impact globally and at home.

The Bank of Japan is likely to maintain this month its projection that the economy will gradually recover from the damage in the latter half of this year, sources said.

In an interview with Reuters economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Japan should primarily focus on back-stopping struggling businesses, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory in battling the pandemic.

The BOJ eased monetary policy for two straight months in April, joining government efforts to cushion the blow from the pandemic. The government has compiled two stimulus packages worth a combined $2.2 trillion.

But many analysts expect things to get worse before a firm recovery takes hold.

“Despite the Ministry of Finance and Bank of Japan providing businesses and workers with significant support - GDP won’t return to pre-virus levels any time soon. Across 2020 as a whole, we think Japan’s economy will shrink by 6.5 per cent,” Capital Economics’ Learmouth said.

Japan’s economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the country should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Reuters