Japan’s leading economic index — which gauges the outlook for the coming months based on indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment — was revised down to 107.0 in August 2025 from a preliminary estimate of 107.4. However, the latest reading remained the highest since March and above July’s level of 106.1, supported by improving household spending, which rose 1.4% in July from 1.3% in June, marking the third consecutive monthly increase in personal expenditure. Meanwhile, consumer confidence in September climbed to its highest level in nine months. On the other hand, the unemployment rate edged up to 2.6% in August — the highest since July 2024 — while employment fell to a four-month low.