Japan economy contracts less than expected in September quarter

Economic Performance - Japan's economy contracted by 0.4% in the quarter ended September, which was smaller than the expected 0.6% decline [1] - On an annualized basis, Japan's GDP for the third quarter of 2025 fell by 1.8%, a softer decline compared to the estimated 2.5% contraction [1] Trade and Demand - Exports of goods and services shrank by 1.2% compared to the second quarter, reversing the previous 2.3% increase [2] - Net exports contributed to a 0.2 percentage point drop in GDP [2] - Private demand declined by 0.4% compared to the previous quarter, pulling GDP down by 0.3 percentage points [2] - Public demand increased by 0.5% quarter on quarter, contributing 0.1 percentage point to the economy [2]