Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday the government was ready to take “all possible steps” if risks to the economy intensified, signaling a fiscal-stimulus boost in the event this month’s sales tax hike triggers a sharp downturn in growth. Abe’s remark came as the bitter US-China trade war and soft global demand have continued to harm Japanese manufactures, profits and overall economic growth. Earlier this week, the Bank of Japan’s tankan survey showed business sentiment plummeting to a six-year low in the July-September quarter..— Reuters
