March Economy Watcher Survey: Decrease for the first time in two months due to rising prices, etc. Cabinet Office maintains its view that the economy "continues on a gradual recovery trend, but there are signs of a lull" The index showing the economic outlook for the next two to three months was 51.2, 1.8 points lower than in February, the first decline in five months.
The survey included comments from clothing specialty stores in the southern Kanto region, such as ``fewer customers due torising prices''