MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan Consumer Confidence At Record Low

--Japan April Consumer Confidence Index 21.6 Vs March 30.9 

--Japan Govt Lowers View: Consumer Confidence "Worsening Rapidly"

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japanese consumer confidence hit a record low in April as the

latest Consumer Confidence Survey saw the benchmark index fall 9.3 points to a

seasonally adjusted 21.6, hitting the lowest level on record, data published by

the Cabinet Office showed Thursday.

     --April's 21.6 was the lowest level in survey history, which began being

released as a monthly series in April 2004.

     --Consumers were more pessimistic on all four key sentiment sectors;

overall economic well-being, labor market condition, income conditions, and the

next six months would be good time to buy durable goods.

     --The Cabinet Office lowered its assessment from the previous month, saying

consumer confidence is worsening "rapidly", revised from the previous view of

"worsening."

     --The sub-index on asset prices, not included in calculating overall

consumer confidence, fell 5.4 points to 27.0 after falling 8.3 points to 32.4 in

March.

     --The share of respondents projecting consumer price gains rose to 70.7% in

April, after falling 6.2 points to 70.3% in March. The share of respondents

forecasting lower prices fell to 10.8% in April from 11.0% in March.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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