Japan economy grows for 8th straight quarter, longest since 1980s

Japan's economy grew for the eighth straight quarter at the end of 2017, government data showed Wednesday, the longest period of expansion since the boom days of the late 1980s.

Gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of last year rose 0.1 percent from the previous three months, the Cabinet Office said.

But the growth fell short of market expectations for a rise of 0.2 percent and represented a slowdown from the 0.6 percent in the preceding July-September quarter.

At an annualized rate, the world's third largest economy grew 0.5 percent.

The gains were driven by upturns in consumer spending as well as increased investment by Japanese firms on equipment and facilities.

Exports rose but imports increased at a faster pace.

The continuing economic growth is good news for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been trying to fire up the economy with his pro-spending policy.

The Japanese economy has enjoyed a period of export-driven growth, helped by a recovering global economy.

It has also got a shot in the arm from domestic demand spurred by infrastructure upgrades ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games.

However, with wage growth and consumption persistently lukewarm, the world's third-largest economy is still battling deflation.