A Japanese government survey has found that worker sentiment in a range of industries improved in August for the third straight month. That’s due to an increase in the number of travelers and robust consumption.
The Economy Watchers Survey by the Cabinet Office shows sentiment last month stood at 49, up one-and-a-half points from July.
A rating under 50 means more people have a negative view than those who are positive.
The survey covers about 2,000 workers nationwide and compares economic conditions from three months earlier.
A member of a hotel association in the southwestern region of Kyushu said there had been more guests than past years due to a string of consecutive holidays in mid-August.
A worker at a supermarket in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido said customer numbers had increased with people returning to their hometowns during the vacation. More tourists also visited the region.
But some mainly in the tourism industry gave negative answers. They said their sales fell significantly after a lot of people canceled their travel plans in light of an advisory warning of a possible mega-quake, and multiple typhoons.
Overall, the Cabinet Office upgraded its assessment for the first time in a year and 3 months. It now says the economy is continuing to recover gradually.