At present, the economy is at a critical juncture and could either start to grow again or, if it fails to gain momentum, start shrinking. Fortunately, the deceleration of overseas economies appears to have ended and exports are thus expected to start recovering soon.
Furthermore, it seems that the economy will not be weighed down long by the end of measures to stimulate demand for environmentally friendly goods, given that car production and sales have recovered somewhat due to efforts by automakers to launch new models after the expiration of subsidies. Moreover, the appreciation of the yen has also come to a halt for the time being.