Japanese firms increased spending on plant and equipment for the third consecutive quarter in October to December, as corporate sentiment got a boost from falling coronavirus cases and helped lift broader economic activity.
A solid recovery of business expenditures is likely to ease worries for policymakers who are facing pressure to bolster the country's economic recovery as the Ukraine crisis threatens to hurt the global economy.
Finance Ministry data out on Wednesday showed capital expenditure in the final quarter of last year rose 4.3% from the same period last year, marking the third straight quarter of year-on-year gains.