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. source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications

Household Spending in Japan decreased 1 percent in January of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan averaged -0.71 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 March of 2026.

Household Spending in Japan decreased 1 percent in January of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan is expected to be 1.30 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
2026-02-05 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Dec -2.6% 2.9% 0% 3.2%
2026-03-09 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Jan -1% -2.6% 2.5% -2.2%
2026-04-06 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Feb -1%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bank Lending Rate 2.90 2.75 percent Feb 2026
Consumer Confidence 40.00 37.90 points Feb 2026
Consumer Credit 57202.60 56452.60 JPY Billion Sep 2025
GDP Private Consumption 309442.20 309116.20 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Disposable Personal Income 432.71 1010.41 JPY Thousand Jan 2026
Gasoline Prices 1.01 1.02 USD/Liter Feb 2026
Household Spending YoY -1.00 -2.60 percent Jan 2026
Household Spending MoM -2.50 -2.20 percent Jan 2026
Households Debt to GDP 64.00 64.50 percent of GDP Jun 2025
Personal Savings 0.40 0.40 percent Sep 2025
Retail Sales MoM 4.10 -2.00 percent Jan 2026
Retail Sales YoY 1.80 -0.90 percent Jan 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
-1.00 -2.60 13.00 -16.20 2001 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
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
Japan Personal Spending Unexpectedly Falls
Household spending in Japan declined 2.6% yoy in December 2025, missing market expectations for a flat reading and marking a deeper contraction after a 2.9% drop in the previous month. The latest result indicated that consumer demand remained fragile at the end of the year amid elevated living costs. The sustained weakness in personal consumption underscores ongoing challenges for Japan’s economic recovery and adds to concerns that private demand may struggle to gain momentum despite supportive monetary conditions. Monthly, personal spending fell 2.9%, underperforming forecasts of 1.3% decrease and swinging from a 6.2% jump in November, which had marked the strongest monthly rise since March 2021.
2026-02-05
Japan Personal Spending Unexpectedly Rise
Household spending in Japan increased 2.9% yoy in November 2025, defying market expectations for a 0.9% decline and reversing a 3.0% drop in the previous month. It marked the steepest rise since May, supported by higher winter-related purchases and easing inflation pressures on some essential goods. Spending bounced back across several major categories, led by food (0.9% vs -1.1% in October), furniture and household items (10.6% vs -0.3%), transportation and communication (20.4% vs -9.2%), and culture and recreation (2.2% vs -0.6%). At the same time, growth accelerated in clothing and footwear (7.5% vs 6.3%) and education (10.2% vs 7.6%). Elsewhere, declines moderated in housing (-1.8% vs -9.1%) and fuel, light, and water charges (-1.2% vs -3.2%), while spending on medical care softened slightly (2.6% vs 3.6%). On a monthly basis, personal spending jumped 6.2%, easily beating forecasts of 2.7% and swinging from a 3.5% contraction in October.
2026-01-08