flirt with #3
消費税アップの反動はなかったというのがこれまでの政府の見解でしたが,ここに来て景気の後退を示す気になる指数が次々と発表されています。
flirt withは「(人)を誘惑する[もてあそぶ],浮気をする」という意味で用いられますが,「〜に手を出す」というところから「〜と紙一重になる」("to come close to reaching or experiencing something —used with with
Japan flirts with recession after output, exports drop
Japan could be flirting with recession after the weakest factory output since 2011, which, following a surprising fall in exports last week, could pressure the central bank to ease policy and complicate a decision on whether to raise taxes.
The severe contraction in output and pileup of inventories after an April increase in the national sales tax are much worse than after the previous tax hike in 1997, which ushered in a steep recession, government data showed on Wednesday.