The Japanese economy is now a fully signed-up member of the global jungle.

This was not the case whilst it was suffering from the deflation malaise. During that time, the Japanese economy had no business making its way into such a ferocious place. It was in hospital hooked up to all sorts of life support systems. But now things are different. The economy may not be quite as robustly healthy as some like to claim, but at least it is not ill enough to be kept hospitalized.

Once out of hospital there is nothing for it to do but rejoin the rest of the world, where jungle warfare is rampant. And the jungle being what it is, one is bound to meet a lot of animals. Having spent such a long time in convalescence, however, the Japanese economy is finding most of the jungle's inhabitants to be weird and alien.