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On December 20, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Monthly Economic Report and Other Relative Issues at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
Regarding the assessment of the current state of the Japanese economy, the December Monthly Economic Report states, “The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace.” Furthermore, concerning short-term prospects, the Report states, “The economy is expected to continue recovering, supported by the effects of the policies, while employment and income situation is improving. However, attention should be given to the risks including the effects of situations over trade issues on the world economy, the uncertainty in overseas economies and the effects of fluctuations in the financial and capital markets.”