anemic

経済産業省は31日に４月鉱工業生産指数速報（２００５年＝１００、季節調整済み）を発表し、前月比0.2％上昇の95.8で、２カ月連続の上昇となったと報告しました。しかしながら製造業全般で復興需要は未だに現れてはいないようです。

anemicは「貧血の」という意味ですが、経済ではしばしばanemic factoryのように「活気がない」と訳されます。さらに活気がないこうした傾向が続くことを「踊り場に入る」と表現します。（UG）

Japan posts anemic factory output growth in April
BUSINESS MAY. 31, 2012

Japan's industrial production rose by a slower-than-expected 0.2% in April from the previous month
AFP
TOKYO —
Japan on Thursday posted anemic factory output growth of 0.2% in April, slower than expected and raising concerns about a recovery for the world’s third-largest economy.

The economy, trade and industry ministry put a positive gloss on its latest figures, saying output “continues to show an upward movement”, while the government and Bank of Japan have both maintained in recent months that growth is on a positive track.

The ministry also pointed to a manufacturers’ survey on Thursday showing that, while factory managers expected a 3.2% on-month dip in output in May, it would be followed by a 2.4% rise in production in June.

RBS Securities chief Japan economist Junko Nishioka was less convinced, saying output has “hit the ceiling” due to excess inventories in some sectors, including the vehicle and communication equipment industries.

Nishioka said the economy was likely to mount a firm recovery later this year, but echoed policymakers’ concerns over Europe’s fiscal crisis hurting exports and pushing the yen higher, as worries increase over China’s growth.

Fears about summer power shortages also loom large for Japan’s factories after the country switched off the last of its nuclear reactors earlier this month in the wake of last year’s atomic crisis.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/japans-industrial-production-up-0-2-in-april