Japan marked its 52nd straight month of expansion since February 2002, making this the second-longest period of growth of the postwar era, according to a government report released Tuesday.

In its economic report for May, the Cabinet Office said the economy is in a recovery -- albeit a modest and fragile one -- leaving its assessment unchanged for the third straight month.

Surpassing the expansion during the bubble economy period from December 1986 to February 1991, the current boom is approaching the longest ever -- the 57 straight months of the so-called Izanagi boom from November 1965 to July 1970.