Overview: Stagnation concerns turning into reality due to weak domestic and external demand. Lack of robust source of growth a major risk in the future.

▶ Japan’s Q3 real GDP expanded an annualized +0.2%. Domestic demand propped up growth, while net exports supressed it.

▶ Our forecast for Kansai’s real GRP growth is +0.6% in FY 2019, +0.4% in FY 2020 and +0.7% in FY 2021. Private and public demand will make a balanced contribution to growth in FY 2019. In FY 2020, public demand will be the driver of growth. The lack of robust drivers of growth might become a concern by FY 2021.

▶ We estimated economic growth by prefecture in the past fiscal years, and we compared the economic impact of the consumption tax hike this year with the previous one in 2014. We conclude that the large increase in demand indicators in September this year was largely due to a recoil from the natural disasters last year.

Highlight: Global trade has bottomed out, but recovery remains uncertain

▶　Japan’s Q3 real GDP growth was an annualized +0.2% QoQ, well below expectations. APIR’s latest forecast for real GDP growth is +0.7% in FY2019, +0.4% in FY2020, and +0.7% in FY2021.

▶　Rush demand before the consumption tax hike this time was not as pronounced as in 2014. Although private consumption remains weak, we deem an economic recession in FY2019 is unlikely.

▶　The China-US trade conflict is taking its toll on global trade. As the effects of protectionist policies will extend into FY2020, the Japanese economy is not expected to get back on the path to recovery until FY2021.

▶　Future inflation will be influenced not only by energy and non-energy prices, but also by the consumption tax hike and the elimination of child care fees. We forecast a core CPI inflation of +0.6% in FY2019, +0.4% in FY2020, and +0.5% in FY2021.

Data updates
▶　Japan’s Q3 real GDP expanded an annualized +0.2% QoQ, well below expectations.
▶　In October, industrial production, plannned dwelling construction, capital goods shipments, real exports and imports all declined. Retail sales shrank by -14.4%, more than they did after the previous tax hike.

Q4 Forecasts
▶　Our forecast for Q4 real GDP growth is an annualized -3.2%.
▶　We forecast an overall GDP deflator of +0.１% QoQ in Q4.

Summary: The economy is deteriorating but likely to level off

▶ Production: Kansai’s Q3 production expanded YoY for the first time in three quarters.
▶  Nominal wages in Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures increased, but real wages kept declining.
▶  Internatinoal trade: Kansai logged a trade surplus in October. However, both exports and imports shrank YoY.
▶  Business confidence: The October Diffusion Index dropped to 39.9, reflecting the reactionary fall after the rush demand in September.
▶  Construction: The number of new housing starts declined, but construction volume expanded YoY in Q3.
▶  Labor market: Nominal and real wages kept declining in August. The number of new job openings decreased and unemployment increased in September.
▶   Inbound sector: International arrivals at Kansai International Airport grew slightly YoY in October.
▶  Chinese economy: China’s PMI in October deteriorated to 49.3. Production, domestic consumption and fixed capital investment all saw decelerating growth rates. China’s international trade volume kept shrinking.

Data updates
▶　The Q3 index of industrial production declined for the first time in two quarters.
▶　Rush demand before the consumption tax hike is evident in September data on retail sales, which saw robust growth.
▶　Both planned residential construction expenditure and capital goods shipments increased in Q3.
▶　Q3 real net exports expanded.

Forecasts
▶　Our forecast for Q3 real GDP growth is an annualized +0.9%. This forecast is likely to be revised upwards once September data on private final consumption is released.
▶　We forecast an overall GDP deflator of +0.2% QoQ in Q3.

Summary: The economy is currently deteriorating but likely to level off
▶  In August, production shrank and the rush demand before the tax hike was still limited. Large retailers’ revenues increased, but the number of new housing starts declined.
▶  Nominal wages in Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures increased, but real wages kept declining.
▶  In September, Kansai logged a trade surplus. Both exports and imports expanded, but that was mainly due to the rebound from last year’s typhoon-induced slump in trade.
▶  The huge YoY increase in the number of international arrivals at Kansai International Airport in September can also be attributed to last year’s typhoon.
▶  The value of public works contracts declined, but an upward trend is expected in the areas affected by the natural disasters in October.
▶  China’s Q3 GDP expanded an annualized +6.0%, an all-time low. Consumer spending remained unchanged. Industrial production accelerated, but fixed capital investment decelerated. Prospects remain unclear.

Data updates
▶　The index of industrial production in August declined for the first time in two months (-1.2% MoM).
▶　Rush demand before the consumption tax hike this year seems limited compared to the previous tax hike in 2014.
▶　Both planned residential construction expenditure and capital goods shipments increased in July-August.
▶　Real net exports expanded.

Forecasts
▶　We forecast real GDP growth (expenditure side) of +0.6% QoQ in Q3, or +1.4% if annualized. The production-side forecast is an annualized +2.6%. The average of the two forecasts is an annualized +2.0%.
▶　We expect that the reactionary fall after the tax hike this year will be milder than it was five years ago.
▶　We forecast an overall GDP deflator of +0.1% QoQ in Q3.

Summary: Further economic deterioration in sight
▶ Production in July expanded MoM for the first time in two months.
▶ Although Kansai logged a trade surplus in August, the total trade volume kept declining. The slowdown of the Chinese economy had a major negative impact. In contrast, the impact of trade tensions with Korea remains limited to individual firms.
▶ The Economy Watchers’ Diffusion Index (DI) in August improved MoM for the first time in four months.
▶ Nominal wages in June increased in Shiga, Hyogo and Kyoto, but declined in Nara and Wakayama.
▶ Sales by large retailers in July fell below last year’s level for the first time in three months.
▶ Housing construction expanded due to rush demand, but the increase was modest compared to the one seen before the previous tax hike in 2014.
▶ The effective job offers-to-applicants ratio in July declined slightly. The unemployment rate declined to 2.4%.
▶ July was the 17th month of uninterrupted YoY growth in public construction works.
▶ The number of international arrivals at Kansai International Airport in August grew YoY for the 11th consecutive month. However, growth decelerated to +4.9% (from +15.5% in July) due to the deterioration in Korea-Japan relations.
▶ China’s economic slowdown become more evident in August. Car sales kept declining (-8.1% YoY), and investment in the industrial sector decelerated significantly. China’s total trade volume shrank for the fourth consecutive month.