On Jan. 12, Teikoku Databank’s Fukuoka office announced the results from a survey on Kyushu and Okinawa businesses. Out of 740 companies that responded to the questionnaire, 158 (21.4%) reported that they expect to see an upturn in business during 2018. This is the highest rate recorded since the survey began in 2006. Only 10.4% predicted a drop. Just over 40% anticipated that business would plateau, while 27.6% stated that they were not certain what was in store. Companies in the service and real estate industries had the highest proportion of respondents forecasting growth this year. The survey also revealed that shortages in personnel, increasing prices of crude oil and materials, as well as the price of consumption tax were seen as the main factors that could have an adverse effect on the economy. Source: Mainichi Shimbun, 1/12/2018
Photo provided by the City of Fukuoka
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