AI Data Insight
In May 2026, the average services expenditure for Japanese households with two or more people fell to 122,045 yen, down approximately 4% from 127,152 yen in the previous month, highlighting that consumption momentum in the second quarter remains sluggish. Against the backdrop of overall soaring prices, the public's tendency to save is evident, with non-essential spending such as transportation, communication, and leisure and entertainment bearing the brunt. Although the Japanese government is expected to roll out electricity and gas subsidies in the summer, whether real wages can reverse their downward trend in the short term remains the key to driving the recovery of services consumption.