Household spending in Japan fell 0.4% yoy in May 2026, following a 0.5% decline in the prior month and beating market expectations for a 2.5% fall. It marked the sixth straight month of contraction but the softest in the sequence, suggesting consumer spending was showing some resilience despite persistent inflation and weak real wage growth. Spending remained weak on transport and communication (-15.8% vs 7.5% in April), utilities (-7.6% vs -8.6%), and culture and recreation (-3.1% vs 6.3%). Meanwhile, expenditure rose on food (2.4% vs -0.6%), housing (0.7% vs 7.6%), furniture and household goods (23.0% vs 19.0%), healthcare (3.3% vs 6.7%), clothing and footwear (4.0% vs -10.9%), and education (21.7% vs -19.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, household expenditure rose 3.7%, accelerating from 1.3% in April and exceeding forecasts of 1.4%. It was also the fastest monthly increase since last November. source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications

Household Spending in Japan decreased 0.40 percent in May of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan averaged -0.72 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 July of 2026.

Household Spending in Japan decreased 0.40 percent in May of 2026 over the previous month. Household Spending in Japan is expected to be 0.10 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
2026-06-04 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Apr -0.5% -2.9% -1.5% -2.6%
2026-07-06 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
May -0.4% -0.5% -2.5% -2.1%
2026-08-06 11:30 PM
Household Spending YoY
Jun -0.3% -1.5%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bank Lending Rate 3.15 3.05 percent Jun 2026
Consumer Confidence 33.80 33.60 points Jun 2026
Consumer Credit 62267.10 60712.00 JPY Billion Mar 2026
GDP Private Consumption 310270.50 309199.80 JPY Billion Mar 2026
Disposable Personal Income 493.68 453.45 JPY Thousand Apr 2026
Gasoline Prices 1.05 1.06 USD/Liter Jun 2026
Household Spending YoY -0.40 -0.50 percent May 2026
Household Spending MoM 3.70 1.60 percent May 2026
Households Debt to GDP 61.10 61.10 percent of GDP Dec 2025
Personal Savings 3.90 0.00 percent Dec 2025
Retail Sales MoM 1.90 2.10 percent May 2026
Retail Sales YoY 5.30 2.80 percent May 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
-0.40 -0.50 13.00 -16.20 2001 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Personal Spending Drops the Least in 6 Months
Household spending in Japan fell 0.4% yoy in May 2026, following a 0.5% decline in the prior month and beating market expectations for a 2.5% fall. It marked the sixth straight month of contraction but the softest in the sequence, suggesting consumer spending was showing some resilience despite persistent inflation and weak real wage growth. Spending remained weak on transport and communication (-15.8% vs 7.5% in April), utilities (-7.6% vs -8.6%), and culture and recreation (-3.1% vs 6.3%). Meanwhile, expenditure rose on food (2.4% vs -0.6%), housing (0.7% vs 7.6%), furniture and household goods (23.0% vs 19.0%), healthcare (3.3% vs 6.7%), clothing and footwear (4.0% vs -10.9%), and education (21.7% vs -19.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, household expenditure rose 3.7%, accelerating from 1.3% in April and exceeding forecasts of 1.4%. It was also the fastest monthly increase since last November.
2026-07-06
Japan Personal Spending Falls the Least in 5 Months
Household spending in Japan dropped 0.5% yoy in April 2026, easing from a 2.9% decline in the prior month and beating market expectations for a 1.5% fall. While this marked the fifth straight month of contraction, it was also the mildest decline in the sequence, suggesting that easing inflationary pressures may be helping to support consumer spending. Expenditure on food fell at a slower pace (-0.6% vs -2.9% in March) while spending increasing for transport and communication (7.5% vs -16.8%), housing (7.6% vs 15.3%), furniture and household goods (19.0% vs 5.5%), healthcare (6.7% vs 20.1%), and culture and recreation (6.3% vs 4.6%). In contrast, outlays weakened further on clothing and footwear (-10.9% vs -2.6%) and utilities (-8.6% vs -3.2%). Education spending also shrank, down 19.4% after a 2.1% increase in March. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, household expenditure rose 1.6%, rebounding from a 1.3% fall in March and exceeding forecasts of a 0.8% increase.
2026-06-04
Japan Personal Spending Drops More than Expected
Household spending in Japan fell 2.9% yoy in March 2026, deepening from a 1.8% drop in the prior month and missing market estimates of a 1.3% decline. This marked the fourth straight decrease in personal consumption, amid persistent inflationary pressure. Spending weakened for food (-2.9% vs -0.5% in February), utilities (-3.2% vs a flat reading), clothing (-2.6% vs 2.3%), and transportation and communication (-16.8% vs -5.9%). Meanwhile, growth in culture and recreation spending slowed sharply (4.6% vs 10.8%). In contrast, expenditures rose further for housing (15.3% vs 12.1%) and furniture and household items (5.5% vs 1.9%), while healthcare spending accelerated markedly (20.1% vs 7.7%) and education outlays rebounded (2.1% vs -28.2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, spending was down 1.3%, reversing a 1.5% growth in February and underperforming forecasts of a 0.6% rise.
2026-05-11