Japanese household spending falls 6.8% in September
The official survey recorded average spending of 289,536 yen among households with at least two people. The comparison is adjusted for price changes.
Real spending by Japanese households with two or more people fell 6.8% in September from the same month a year earlier, according to a survey released on November 10 by Japan’s Statistics Bureau. The figure reflects purchasing power after accounting for price changes.
Average monthly spending was 289,536 yen per household. Before adjusting for inflation, it fell 4.5% year over year. Compared with August, real spending declined 2.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The report was released on November 10 and covers purchases made in September. The main measure cited concerns households with at least two members and therefore does not by itself describe people living alone.
A steeper fall than in previous months
The official table shows that real spending fell 3.3% year over year in June, 3.6% in July and 3.1% in August. September’s decline was steeper than in each of those three months.
The annual comparison measures September against the same month in 2025. The 2.8% monthly decline compares September with August after adjusting for seasonal patterns.
The survey also reports income for workers’ households with two or more people. In that group, average income was 528,074 yen, up 3.4% in nominal terms from a year earlier. The real figure differs depending on the price index used: the report shows increases of 0.9% under one measure and 1.3% under another.
The income figure covers workers’ households, while the spending figure covers all surveyed households with at least two people.
Consumption and the economy
The result adds to the picture of private consumption, an important part of Japan’s economy. A decline in real spending can reflect changes in quantities purchased, choices about goods and services, or particular circumstances during the period; the aggregate figure cannot by itself establish a single cause.
The September fall followed year-over-year declines during the summer, against a backdrop in which prices and incomes influence household purchasing decisions.
