Japan's economy shrank for the first time in a year and at a faster pace than expected, data for the March quarter showed on Friday, underscoring the fragile nature of its recovery now under threat from U.

The decline was steeper than economists’ median forecast of a 0.3% contraction, raising the risk of a technical recession if further pressure from US tariffs materialises this quarter, according to a

The government has reported that Japan's economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.7% in the first quarter, as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war hurt exports and dented consumer confidence.