Mixed picture emerges for Japan economy ahead of snap polls

Tokyo

JAPANESE economic data released on Friday offered a mixed picture of how the world's third-largest economy is faring in the wake of its slide into recession in the third quarter of this year, and of its prospects for maintaining escape velocity from years of deflation.

Industrial output edged up by 0.2 per cent in October from a month earlier, indicating that demand may be beginning to recover from the shock to both consumption and output administered by the hike in the national consumption tax in April.