In addition, since April 2011, a bottleneck in supply chains associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake has surfaced in the form of disruption of supply in automobiles and automobile-related parts, and gasoline prices have surged reflecting a hike in international commodity prices. Moreover, a cutback in local government spending has proceeded.
As a result, consumption has been contained due to a slowdown in real income, production has slowed, and employment has grown at a sluggish pace. Of course, positive developments have also occurred.