The government on Tuesday retained its monthly assessment that the Japanese economy is "picking up moderately" despite some weakness while changing its wording on wholesale prices for the first time in about a year to reflect slower price growth.
In the economic report for February, the Cabinet Office maintained its assessments of 11 key components of the economy, ranging from private consumption and corporate spending to production and exports.
Corporate goods prices "are rising at a slower pace recently," the report said, a change from the previous month's expression that they are "rising." The last time the Cabinet Office modified its wording on the segment was in March 2022.