Business sentiment among large Japanese companies in the July-September period turned positive for the first time in a year, recovering from a plunge due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a government survey showed Friday.
The confidence index covering firms capitalized at ¥1 billion ($9.4 million) or more stood at plus 2.0 in the third quarter of 2020, up from minus 47.6 in the April-June period, according to the joint survey by the Finance Ministry and Cabinet Office.
The outcome reflected the gradual resumption of economic activity throughout the country, following the complete lifting of a state of emergency declaration in late May, under which people had been asked to stay home and nonessential businesses to suspend their operation.