日本の景気拡大、戦後最長になった可能性

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is September seventh. Japan's economy may have just made history: the current expansion could now be the longest since the end of the war. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

On the seventh, the Cabinet Office released July's economic index. The main gauge of current conditions rose one point seven points from the previous month, to one hundred twenty point six.

It means the state of the economy — business conditions.

The big driver behind the rise was demand for machines that make semiconductors.

It means demand.

The current expansion began in June twenty twenty, when the economy hit bottom during the pandemic.

It means expansion, or growth.

The longest expansion until now was the Izanami boom, which lasted seventy-three months from two thousand two to two thousand eight.

It means the postwar era — after World War Two.

In other words, this expansion may have become the longest in postwar history.

It means possibility.

But because prices keep rising, many people say they don't actually feel the economy improving.

It means consumer prices — the cost of things.

The government plans to keep pushing policies so that wage growth outpaces price growth.

It means wages.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

One point seven points, reaching one hundred twenty point six.

June of twenty twenty, after the pandemic pushed the economy to its bottom.

Seventy-three months.

That's all for today. A record on paper is one thing — the real test is whether people feel it in their daily lives. See you next time on Japanese Daily News.