TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s consumer confidence index rose slightly in May but stayed near a record low as the new coronavirus pandemic took a heavy toll on the economy, a Cabinet Office survey showed on Friday.
The survey’s sentiment index for general households – which includes views on incomes and jobs – rose to 24.0 in May from April’s 21.6, which was a record low.
A reading below 50 suggests pessimism.
The government upgraded its view on the index, saying it “remains extremely” severe although there is sign of a halt in its decline.
(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chris Gallagher)
