Household spending in Japan fell 2.9% yoy in March 2026, deepening from a 1.8% drop in the prior month and missing market estimates of a 1.3% decline. This marked the fourth straight decrease in personal consumption, amid persistent inflationary pressure. Spending weakened for food (-2.9% vs -0.5% in February), utilities (-3.2% vs a flat reading), clothing (-2.6% vs 2.3%), and transportation and communication (-16.8% vs -5.9%). Meanwhile, growth in culture and recreation spending slowed sharply (4.6% vs 10.8%). In contrast, expenditures rose further for housing (15.3% vs 12.1%) and furniture and household items (5.5% vs 1.9%), while healthcare spending accelerated markedly (20.1% vs 7.7%) and education outlays rebounded (2.1% vs -28.2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, spending was down 1.3%, reversing a 1.5% growth in February and underperforming forecasts of a 0.6% rise. source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications

Household Spending in Japan decreased 2.90 percent in March of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan averaged -0.72 percent from 2001 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 13.00 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -16.20 percent in May of 2020. This page provides the latest reported value for - Japan Household Spending - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Japan Household Spending YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Household Spending in Japan decreased 2.90 percent in March of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan is expected to be 2.00 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Household Spending YoY is projected to trend around 1.60 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-06 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Feb -1.8% -1% -0.7% -0.4%
2026-05-11 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Mar -2.9% -1.8% -1.3% -1.3%
2026-06-04 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Apr -2.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bank Lending Rate 3.00 2.80 percent Apr 2026
Consumer Confidence 32.20 33.30 points Apr 2026
Consumer Credit 58802.70 57221.70 JPY Billion Dec 2025
GDP Private Consumption 309442.20 309116.20 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Disposable Personal Income 453.45 490.52 JPY Thousand Mar 2026
Gasoline Prices 1.06 1.07 USD/Liter Apr 2026
Household Spending YoY -2.90 -1.80 percent Mar 2026
Household Spending MoM -1.30 1.50 percent Mar 2026
Households Debt to GDP 61.10 61.30 percent of GDP Sep 2025
Personal Savings 3.90 0.00 percent Dec 2025
Retail Sales MoM 1.30 -2.00 percent Mar 2026
Retail Sales YoY 1.70 -0.10 percent Mar 2026


Japan Household Spending YoY
In Japan, Household Spending YoY refers to the annual change of consumption expenditures (on food, housing, utilities, furniture, clothing, health, education, transport, communication, leisure activities, etc.) in real terms for two-or-more-person households including agricultural, forestry and fisheries households.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-2.90 -1.80 13.00 -16.20 2001 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Personal Spending Drops More than Expected
Household spending in Japan fell 2.9% yoy in March 2026, deepening from a 1.8% drop in the prior month and missing market estimates of a 1.3% decline. This marked the fourth straight decrease in personal consumption, amid persistent inflationary pressure. Spending weakened for food (-2.9% vs -0.5% in February), utilities (-3.2% vs a flat reading), clothing (-2.6% vs 2.3%), and transportation and communication (-16.8% vs -5.9%). Meanwhile, growth in culture and recreation spending slowed sharply (4.6% vs 10.8%). In contrast, expenditures rose further for housing (15.3% vs 12.1%) and furniture and household items (5.5% vs 1.9%), while healthcare spending accelerated markedly (20.1% vs 7.7%) and education outlays rebounded (2.1% vs -28.2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, spending was down 1.3%, reversing a 1.5% growth in February and underperforming forecasts of a 0.6% rise.
2026-05-11
Japan Personal Spending Falls More than Expected
Household spending in Japan dropped 1.8% yoy in February 2026, worsening from a 1.0% drop in the prior month and missing market estimates of a 0.7% decline. This marked the third straight contraction in personal consumption, highlighting persistent pressure from elevated prices. Spending fell further in transportation and communication (-5.9% vs -1.0% in January), education (-28.2% vs -22.6%), and other expenditures (-10.5% vs -5.9%). Food outlays slipped 0.5%, reversing a 1.5% gain, while growth in furniture and household items eased sharply (1.9% vs 13.5%). In contrast, housing rebounded strongly (12.1% vs -12.3%), alongside modest recoveries in clothing (2.3% vs -1.7%), while healthcare spending accelerated (7.7% vs 3.1%). Outlays on culture and recreation remained robust (10.8% vs 10.8%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, spending rose 1.5%, rebounding from a 2.5% fall in January and marking the first increase in three months, though still below forecasts of a 2.6% gain.
2026-04-06
Japan Personal Spending Falls at Softer Pace
Household spending in Japan fell 1% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a 2.6% decline in the previous month but contrary to market expectations of a 2.5% increase. Spending rebounded for food (1.5% vs -2.4% in December) and miscellaneous items (2.3% vs -5.3%), and it accelerated for furniture and household utensils (13.5% vs 2.3%) and culture and recreation (10.8% vs 3.6%). Moreover, spending decreased at a slower pace for clothing and footwear (-1.7% vs -8.9%), transportation and communication (-1.0% vs -7.1%), and other consumption expenditures (-5.9% vs -9.5%). In contrast, spending continued to fall for housing (-12.3% vs -7.6%), slipped for education (-22.6% vs 14.1%), and growth slowed for medical care (3.1% vs 5.3%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, personal spending dropped 2.5%, following a downwardly revised 2.9% decline in December, defying market expectations of a 0.8% gain.
2026-03-10