Private consumption has firmed up in part because of a recovery in demand, which had been temporarily subdued mainly reflecting the disaster, and because of a surge in new car sales due to the boost provided by government subsidies.
Business fixed investment for now continues to be on a moderate increasing trend, aided by the fact that full-fledged rebuilding efforts such as efforts to restore and reconstruct disaster-stricken facilities as well as efforts to strengthen the earthquake resistance of existing structures are now getting underway, although some exporting firms that have greatly revised their profit forecasts downward might restrain their investment in the future.