The government maintained Friday its view that the Japanese economy is "picking up" in its assessment for January, despite growing fears that the latest state of emergency imposed this month over the novel coronavirus could deal it a fresh blow.

In its monthly report, the Cabinet Office revised its views downward on private consumption and corporate business sentiment amid a third wave of virus infections since November, while upgrading its assessments of business investment and housing construction as the initial shock of the pandemic on the world's third-largest economy has eased.

"The Japanese economy is still in a severe situation due to the novel coronavirus, but it is showing movements of picking up," the office said, using the same wording for the seventh month in a row.