Income conditions of households still remain severe but regular and overtime payments as well as new job offers continue to increase in line with the recovery in corporate activities, and compensation of employees has stopped decreasing. As for the outlook, public investment will decrease, but net exports are expected to continue increasing gradually, reflecting the expansion in overseas economies.
In the corporate sector, firms still strongly feel that they have excess equipment and that they should reduce their debts to restore financial soundness. However, it is very likely that fixed investment in high-growth sectors, including those related with information technology services, will increase as corporate profits continue to recover.