gegenüber dem Vorjahr - aber, beschwichtigt Bubblevision, die Nachfrage steigt. Wenn die Nachfrage wirklich - organisch - steigt, kann es aber keine Deflation mit Preisrückgang von 1,2 % geben, es sei denn, die Gesetze der Marktwirtschaft gelten nicht mehr.
Japan leidet seit 20 Jahren an Deflation, und mMn deutet nichts auf eine überraschende Wende.
Des Rätsels Lösung:
Wenn, wie angegeben, der reale Konsum um 4,4 % gestiegen ist, die realen Haushaltseinkommen aber nur um 0,4 %, heißt das, dass die Japaner 4 % ihrer Ersparnisse für den Konsum verballert haben müssen. Die Entsparung der Rentner ist aber schon weit fortgeschritten. Die Sparquote sank von 15 auf 3 %. Unter Null kann sie nicht sinken, außer die Japse "machen einen auf Ami".
Dass die Zahl der Arbeitslosen verglichen zum 1.Q/2009 um ca 3 % zunahm, spricht auch nicht für eine Wende. Ebensowenig die Industrieproduktion, die über's Jahr um mickrige 0,3 % wuchs, was die von Erwartung von 0,9 % deutlich verfehlte.
Beim Vergleich des 1.Q./2010 mit dem schwachen Vorjahres-Q. spielen auch Basiseffekte ein Rolle. Vor einem Jahr stand die Welt still. Gemessen daran sind die Zahlen äußerst bescheiden. Daraus abzuleiten, die japanische Deflation sei durch eine Konsumorgie überwunden oder stehe kurz davor, ist eine typische Bubblevision-Nebelbombe.
Economic Report
April 30, 2010, 12:49 a.m. EDT
Japan prices fall 1.2%, but spending, wages climb
By Myra P. Saefong & John Letzing, MarketWatch
TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- Japan's core consumer price index fell 1.2% in March compared to the same period last year, signaling a lingering threat of deflation, but household spending and employment wages climbed, feeding hopes for a steady economic recovery, according to government data Friday.
"The key to Japan's recovery is a boost in domestic demand, and the rising wages along with rising consumer spending shows the steady start of an economic recovery," said Tony Sagami, editor of Asia Stock Alert. "The rise in wages -- the first is 22 months -- is the starting gun of the recovery race."
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported that average monthly consumption expenditures per household rose 3% in nominal terms in March compared to the period last year, to 319,991 yen ($3,406). It climbed 4.4% in real terms from a year ago.
The household consumption number was "outstanding," said Uwe Parpart, chief Asia strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald. "This means the economy is beginning to fire on the additional cylinder and gives it balance and sustainable growth beyond just exports."
"Consumer-related companies benefit, and allow for some rotation into consumer stocks," he said.
Average monthly income per household stood at 439,410 yen, up 0.4% in real terms from the same month last year, though it was down 0.9% in nominal terms, according to the government data.
The Japanese government said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March stood at 5%, a slight increase from the 4.9% registered in February and marginally higher than the 4.9% predicted by the Kyodo survey.
The total number of jobless came in at 3.5 million, an increase of 150,000 from the period last year, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the decline in core consumer prices, which excluded volatile fresh food prices, matched the 1.2% decline in the prior month. The result was also in line with forecasts by economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires and the Nikkei business daily, as well as those of a separate Kyodo News survey.
The overall consumer price index fell 1.1% year-on-year, data showed.
In Tokyo's afternoon trading, the Nikkei 225 Average continued higher, trading at 11,078.34, up 1.4%, while the U.S. dollar bought 94.03 yen, unchanged from late North American trading Thursday.
Separately Friday, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported a 0.3% month-on-month rise to 94.0 for the seasonally adjusted index of industrial production. That missed the 0.9% rise forecast by economists in a Dow Jones-Nikkei poll.
"IP was weaker than expected, but we continue to look for improvement in the month ahead given [the] better outlook for the economies of its export markets," analysts at Credit Agricole said in a note to clients.
Japanese companies predict that production may climb 3.7% month-on-month in April, according to the ministry's report.
www.marketwatch.com/story/...lation-concerns-linger-2010-04-29