Industry to benefit from recovery in capital spending

The slump in retail sales in April suggests that consumer spending may have fallen further during the third state of emergency. However, the medical situation is improving and the vaccination rollout is accelerating. And Japan’s traditional growth engine, its large manufacturing sector, is roaring back to life as industrial output is now above pre-virus levels. While GDP growth this year will fall short of expectations, we think it will be stronger than most anticipate in 2022.