In this month's monthly economic report, the government lowered its economic judgment for the first time in five months, saying that the spread of Omicron strains has reduced service-related consumption such as eating out and accommodation.
The government compiled this month's monthly economic report at a meeting of relevant ministers on the 17th.
According to the report, the judgment of the economy as a whole was lowered, saying, "Although the movement of recovery is continuing, some weaknesses are seen while the severe situation due to the new coronavirus infection remains."
It is the first time in five months since September last year that the economic judgment has been lowered.
Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron strain, service-related consumption such as eating out and lodging has been declining, and the judgment of "personal consumption" has been lowered to "a stepping stone to pick up."
In addition, “Housing construction” has been reduced to “weak” because the number of rental housing starts is declining.
On the other hand, "capital investment" raised the judgment that "there is a movement to pick up" because software investment is increasing due to the demand for digitalization.
Regarding the outlook, he is becoming more cautious about the infection status of Omicron strains, saying, "It is necessary to pay close attention to the impact of the spread of infection, supply constraints, and downside risks due to raw material price trends."