The Japanese government declared at the end of January that the current period of economic expansion had lasted for six years and two months, the longest since World War II. However, the results of a survey about the state of the economy in January was announced in March, showing it had dropped slightly from the previous month, prompting speculation that a recession might be about to begin. Replies to numerous surveys show that the general public doesn’t feel as if the economy is booming. On the other hand, labor shortages continue in some fields, including construction and caregiving. If there really is a recession, critics cite the slowing down of the Chinese economy as the main cause. Because of this, it seems there will be some serious debate over whether the planned rise in consumer tax should be carried out or not this fall.