With consumer confidence at a four-year low it seems unlikely that household spending will continue to sustain the Japanese economy in the face of slowing export demand as the U.S. heads for its first recession since 2001, and the global economy in general stats to slow. Business investment fell at the fastest pace in five years last quarter, according to the Finance Ministry last week, indicating that the government will have to reduce its gross domestic product estimate when it produces the definitive Q4 figures next week.
