Economic data released Friday signaled that the economy is still in the doldrums following the first stage of the doubling of the consumption tax on April 1, raising doubts about whether the Abe administration can complete the hike to 10 percent as planned.

Expectations are growing for more economic stimulus in the near future, regardless of whether next year's tax hike is delayed.

With the pace of inflation slowing, the Bank of Japan decided Friday to take further action to achieve its 2 percent inflation target by "sometime next year."