Japan Leading Economic Index Revised Upward
2026-04-27 05:04
By
Chusnul Chotimah
1 min. read
Japan’s leading economic index, which gauges the outlook for the months ahead using indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment, was revised higher to 113.3 in February 2026 from 112.4 in the preliminary estimates and up from dowanwardly revised 112.0 in the previous month.
However, the latest reading remained its highest level since August 2022, underscoring a gradual improvement in the economic outlook.
Labor market strength persisted, with the unemployment rate declining to 2.6% from January’s 1.5-year high, while employment rose by 10 thousand to 68.27 million.
Consumer confidence was also boosted by Tokyo’s large-scale stimulus program designed to bolster household spending and stabilize growth, though cost pressures intensified due to rising fuel prices driven by the impact of the Iran war.