A key gauge of the current state of Japan's economy stayed below the boom-or-bust line of 50 percent in September for the second straight month, stirring concerns that the nation's economic recovery might have peaked.
The index of coincident economic indicators stood at 22.2 percent, down from a revised 30 percent in August, the Cabinet Office said Friday in a preliminary report.
It was the first time since the first two months of 2002 that the index has moved below 50 percent for two consecutive months.
A reading above 50 percent is considered a sign of economic expansion. A figure below that line is seen as a sign of contraction.
A Cabinet Office official said the September reading mainly stemmed from one-time factors, including typhoons hitting Japan.