The government on Thursday downgraded its economic outlook for the first time in five months, reflecting weakness in private consumption amid a resurgence of coronavirus infections led by the highly transmissible omicron variant.
The economy "continues to show movements of picking up, although some weaknesses are seen as a severe situation (of economic activities) due to the coronavirus remains," the Cabinet Office said in its monthly assessment report for February.
The report last month said the economy "shows movements of picking up recently as the severe situation due to the novel coronavirus is gradually easing."