Growth

Real GDP growth

Quarter-on-quarter change in Japan’s real, seasonally adjusted GDP, expressed as an annualized rate.

Frequency: Quarterly

This chart is being prepared. Real GDP growth draws on Cabinet Office, Government of Japan (Economic and Social Research Institute), via e-Stat, which requires a free access key that is not yet configured. The explainer and source details below are final; the chart will appear once the data feed is connected.

What this shows

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the total value of goods and services produced in Japan. This chart shows the change in real (inflation-adjusted), seasonally adjusted GDP from one quarter to the next, expressed as an annualized rate — the figure the Cabinet Office highlights.

GDP estimates are revised: a first preliminary release is followed by a second preliminary and later annual revisions, so recent quarters may change as more data arrives.

How to read it: Each bar/point is one quarter’s growth, annualized (the pace it implies if sustained for a year). Positive means the economy grew that quarter; negative means it contracted.

Terms on this page

GDP (Gross Domestic Product): Gross Domestic Product measures the total value of everything produced within Japan in a given period. "Real" GDP is adjusted for inflation. Japan's quarterly estimates are produced by the Cabinet Office and are revised as more data arrives.
Real vs nominal: A nominal figure is measured in the prices of the day. A real figure is adjusted for inflation, so it reflects changes in volume rather than price. Real GDP growth tells you whether the economy produced more, not just whether prices rose.
Seasonally adjusted: Many economic series follow predictable seasonal patterns. Seasonal adjustment removes those recurring swings so that the underlying trend and turning points are easier to see and compare period-to-period.
Annualized rate: An annualized growth rate takes a single quarter's change and projects it over four quarters. Japan often reports GDP growth this way, which makes a small quarterly move look larger (e.g. +0.5% quarterly ≈ +2.0% annualized).