Japan’s economy shrinks as consumers hold back on spending

By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy has contracted at an annual rate of 1.2% in the July-September quarter, as consumption declined amid rising prices. Seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product for the world’s third-largest economy shrank 0.3% on-quarter, according to government Cabinet Office data. The annual rate shows how the economy would have grown if the quarterly rate were to continue for a year. Japan’s GDP, or the sum of the value of a nation’s products and services, was weaker than analysts had expected, coming after three quarters of moderate growth. The coronavirus pandemic has slammed production and tourism in Japan.