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These Japan numbers don't look good

DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Real GDP +0.2% Q/Q; Prelim +0.5%

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Annualized GDP +0.8%; Prelim +2.0%

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Nominal GDP 0.0%; Prelim +0.5%

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Consumption -0.9%; Prelim -0.7%

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Capex +1.5%; Prelim +2.9%

*DJ Japan Domestic Demand -0.2 Pct Pts To Growth

*DJ Japan External Demand +0.4 Pct Pts To Growth

*DJ Japan Inventories +0.2 Pct Pts To Growth

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Public Investment -5.3%; Prelim -6.7%

*DJ Japan Jul-Sep Revised Deflator -0.7 %; Prelim -0.8%

=DJ DATA SNAP:Japan Jul-Sep Revised Annualized Real GDP +0.8%

TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Japan's real gross domestic product grew at an annualized pace of 0.8% in the July-September quarter, compared with a preliminary reading of 2.0% growth, government data showed Friday.

Revised third-quarter GDP data also showed that the economy grew 0.2% on quarter, slower than preliminary data released Nov. 14 showing 0.5% growth. It was the seventh straight quarter of expansion.

The weaker reading may make it harder for the Bank of Japan to justify an interest-rate increase at its policy meeting later this month. Attention will now turn to the central bank's tankan survey of corporate sentiment due Dec. 15 for further clues.

Nominal GDP, which isn't adjusted for price changes, was flat on quarter compared with a preliminary 0.5% on-quarter gain. In annualized terms it was also flat on quarter versus a preliminary 1.9% gain.

Domestic demand subtracted 0.2 percentage point from overall growth in the July-September period, against a preliminary 0.1 point addition.

Meanwhile, private spending, which makes up more than half of Japan's GDP, fell 0.9% from the previous quarter, compared with a preliminary 0.7% slip.

The GDP deflator, which measures changes of prices of all items produced in Japan, fell 0.7% from a year earlier in the third quarter, versus a preliminary reading for a 0.8% drop.


-By Natasha Brereton, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-5255-2929; [e-mail]
-Edited by Shawn Schroter

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-07-06 1902ET