Japan’s Households Boost Spending by Most Since Summer 2022

Japan’s household spending rose the most since the summer of 2022 in a sign that consumer may be getting used to persistent inflation and could support for an economy that’s taking a hit from US tariffs.

Outlays by households adjusted for inflation gained 4.7% from a year ago in May, largely due to more spending on cars, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported Friday. The result beat the median economist estimate of a 1.2% gain.