TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy contracted at an annual pace of 2.3% in the July-September period, the government reported Monday, as exports suffered from the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and public investments slipped.
The decline in Japan’s gross domestic product, or the sum value of its goods and services, translates to a 0.6% on-quarter fall, and marked a lowered revision from the preliminary data released last month, which had shown a drop of 1.8% at an annual rate, or 0.4% on-quarter, according to the Cabinet Office.
The annualized rate shows what the economy would have done if the same rate were to continue for a year.
Exports dropped 1.2% in the quarter compared to the previous quarter, unchanged from the preliminary figure, while private residential investment fell 8.2%, slightly less than the 9.4% fall seen in the earlier data.
Trump implemented higher tariffs on imports from many countries earlier this year.
In September, the U.S. lowered the tariffs surcharge on nearly all Japanese imports to 15% from an earlier plan for a 25% tariff. The tariffs on autos are a serious blow to Japan’s economy. Japan has promised to invest $550 billion in the United States, in an accommodating move announced during the tariff negotiations.
Analysts say the drop in private residential investment observed in the July-September quarter was mainly due to revisions of Japan’s building code that caused housing starts to plunge from earlier this year.
Imports slipped 0.4% during the quarter, while private consumption gained 0.2%, according to revised data.
The tariffs have strained bilateral ties between Japan and the U.S., its most important alliance partner.
Japan now has its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, who remains popular, partly because of her assertive nationalist-leaning comments. She is also fostering hopes for an economic revival, although prospects remain unclear.
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama
A general view of a container port seen from a helicopter in Tokyo, on Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 3, 2026--
Aderant, a leading global provider of business-of-law solutions, today announced the appointment of Aisling Fenelon as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Fenelon, a highly respected legal technology executive with more than 25 years of industry experience, is promoted from her role as Vice President of Sales, North America. She has spent the past eleven years at Aderant building, scaling, and leading high-performing revenue teams while partnering closely with law firm clients to deliver measurable business outcomes.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260228406746/en/
Over the course of her tenure, Fenelon has established herself as a trusted advisor to law firms navigating increasing operational complexity and client pressure. Known for her deep understanding of the business of law, she has consistently driven revenue growth while ensuring Aderant’s solutions deliver meaningful, long-term value.
Fenelon assumes responsibility for Aderant’s global revenue organization at a pivotal time for the legal industry. Law firms are under mounting pressure to improve efficiency, demonstrate value, and realize tangible returns on their technology investments—particularly across the work-to-cash lifecycle. In her new role, Fenelon will focus on aligning Aderant’s category-leading product portfolio with clients’ most critical business challenges, helping firms operate more effectively while supporting both the practice and the business of law.
“Aisling’s career has been defined by her ability to combine deep industry knowledge with a relentless focus on client value,” said Chris Cartrett, President and CEO of Aderant. “She understands the realities law firms face today and how technology must perform to meet those demands. Her leadership, credibility, and institutional knowledge make her uniquely qualified to lead our revenue organization and strengthen the value we deliver to clients around the world.”
Fenelon began her career at Aderant on the Business Development team, later leading that function before being appointed Vice President of Sales, North America. In that role, she was responsible for regional sales strategy and execution across Aderant’s solutions, consistently building trusted relationships with law firm leaders and guiding teams through complex, consultative sales cycles. She holds a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.
“At the highest level, my role is to ensure Aderant grows in the right way—predictably, sustainably, and always in service of our clients,” said Fenelon. “Law firms are asking more of their technology partners than ever before. Our responsibility is to show, clearly and consistently, how Aderant’s products and services deliver real return on investment and create lasting value. I’m excited to continue building a flexible, open ecosystem that helps our clients adapt, innovate, and thrive.”
As Aderant’s first woman to serve as Chief Revenue Officer, Fenelon also emphasized the importance of representation and internal growth. “Promoting leaders from within sends a powerful message,” she said. “Diverse leadership teams foster stronger dialogue and better decision-making, and representation at the top shows our people that there is a clear path to grow and lead here. That’s good for our culture, our clients, and the long-term health of the business.”
About Aderant®
Aderant is dedicated to helping law firms run a better business. As a leading global provider of business management and practice-of-law solutions, the world’s best firms rely on Aderant to keep their businesses moving forward and inspire innovation. At Aderant, the “A” is more than just a letter. It represents how we fulfill our foundational purpose, serving our clients. Aderant operates as a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the S&P 500 and Fortune 1000. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and has several other offices across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. For more information, visit Aderant.com, email info@aderant.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn.
Aisling Fenelon is Chief Revenue Officer at Aderant. She is a senior sales leader with more than 25 years of experience in the legal technology industry and over a decade at Aderant. She began her tenure at Aderant as a member of the Business Development team, later leading the function, before being appointed Vice President of Sales, North America, where she led regional sales strategy and revenue execution across Aderant’s solutions.
