Japan’s economy grew by 1% sequentially, and 4% on an annualized basis in Q2, smashing expectations of a 2.5% print and well above the upward revised 1.5% in the first quarter; it was also the the highest quarterly growth since a 5% print in Q2 2015, Japan’s Cabinet Office reported, and the 6th consecutive quarter of expansion for recently embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has plunged in the polls following a series of corruption scandals.
The unexpectedly strong GDP print was driven by a 9.9% jump in private non-residential investment as well as an striking 21.9% annualized surge in public investment as some of the public works spending included in last year’s economic stimulus package starting to emerge; meanwhile exports declined.
On a sequential basis, GDP rose 1.0%, above the 0.6% expected, up from the 0.4% in Q1 and the highest print in just over two years.
Annualized private demand soared by 5.3%, or 1.3% higher compared to the first quarter, an impressive jump from the previous quarter’s rise of 0.2%. Private consumption rose 0.9% in Q2, more than double the 0.4% reported for the first quarter.Aside from the clearly “one-time” surge in public investment, which in the second quarter exploded by an annualized 21.9% as some of the public works spending included in last year’s economic stimulus package have started to emerge, private non-residential investment climbed 2.4% from 0.9% in Q1, while government consumption grew 0.3%, bouncing from a 0.1% contraction in the prior quarter.
Finally, spoiling the otherwise pristine report was the unexpected drop in exports of goods and services which dropped 0.5% on a quarterly basis and -1.9% annualized, the lowest export number since Q2 of 2016. The plunge in net exports dragged Japan’s headline growth figure down 0.3% points.
Ahead of the number, Goldman’s Japan analyst Naohiko Baba said that “we estimate Apr-Jun real GDP growth of +2.4% qoq annualized, up from +1.0% in Jan-Mar. While we expect net exports to turn to a negative contributor, we think private-sector demand was strong for personal consumption and capex. We also expect double-digit growth for public capital formation, with some of the public works spending included in last year’s economic stimulus package starting to emerge. We think Apr-Jun GDP will show a clearer tilt toward domestic demand led growth. “
