Japan Economy Contracts 3.6 Percent in Third Quarter as Virus Hits Spending

Japan Economy Contracts 3.6 Percent in Third Quarter as Virus Hits Spending
Subaru cars for export park at Kawasaki port, near Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 7, 2021.Koji Sasahara/AP Photo
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TOKYO—Japan’s economy contracted at a 3.6 percent annual rate in July-September as a wave of coronavirus infections crimped travel and other activities, the government said Wednesday.

The estimate for the last quarter, downgraded from an earlier report of a 3.0 percent contraction, reflected weakness in consumer spending and trade, the government said.