Japan's household spending drops 2.9 pct in March

Japan's household spending fell 2.9 percent in inflation-adjusted real terms year-on-year in March, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline, government data showed Tuesday.

Households of two or more members spent an average of 334,701 yen (around 2,100 U.S. dollars) during the month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Household spending is a key indicator of private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's gross domestic product.

The Engel coefficient, an economic indicator representing the percentage of a household's total expenditure spent on food, reached 28.8 percent in 2025, the highest recorded level since 1980, the government data said.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday morning.

Li said China and Tajikistan are now striving to build a community of shared future.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Rahmon, charting a new blueprint for further deepening bilateral relations, he said.

According to Li, China stands ready to work with Tajikistan to cement political mutual trust, enhance mutual support, and oppose any external interference.

He expressed China's willingness to deepen cooperation with Tajikistan across trade and investment, mineral resources, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, to provide greater impetus for the development and rejuvenation of both countries.

The premier also called on both sides to strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.

Rahmon said Tajikistan looks forward to increasing high-level exchanges with China, deepening cooperation in economy and trade, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges, and enhancing multilateral communication and coordination, so as to constantly enrich the Tajikistan-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.