Staff writer
The growth rate of Japan's gross domestic product for the April-June quarter of fiscal 1998 is likely to fall from the previous quarter, raising the possibility that the economy may shrink for the third quarter in a row since the October-December quarter of fiscal 1997, according to estimates by many private think-tanks.
On Friday, the Economic Planning Agency will announce its quarterly estimate for the nation's economic growth for the April-June quarter, amid growing concern both at home and abroad over deteriorating economic and business conditions.