Japan’s leading economic index—which uses indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment to gauge the outlook for economic activity in the coming months—declined to 116.4 in September 2026 from a revised 118.0 in August, preliminary data showed. This was the lowest level since June and underscored the lingering impact of recent natural disasters, as well as persistent price pressures driven in part by elevated oil prices and supply disruptions related to tensions in the Middle East. These cost pressures have continued despite a record government budget package introduced earlier this year to ease the burden on households. At the same time, consumer confidence was little changed in September, and the unemployment rate edged down slightly, indicating relatively stable household sentiment and a modest improvement in labor market conditions in spite of higher living costs.