Investments in strengthening earthquake resistance and the purchase of disaster prevention goods and energy saving products, triggered by the earthquake, can also be considered as reconstruction-related demand in a broad sense. Policy support, including subsidies for eco-friendly cars, has also been effective.
Happily, the euro was launched at that start of this year in a setting characterised by a high degree of price stability in all the participating countries. At all events, their inflation rates were - and remain at an all-time low. The same applies to their long and short-term interest rates.