2009 & 4Q GDP Growth revised downwards

Japan's economy grew at a slower rate than previously thought in the fourth quarter of 2009, new data showed Thursday.

The world's number two economy expanded at a pace of 0.9 percent in October-December from the previous quarter, revised down from an initial estimate of 1.1 percent growth, the government said.

And a revised figure for July-September showed a contraction of 0.1 percent, illustrating how Japan's nascent revival stalled in the third quarter.

Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at an annualised pace of 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, less than the 4.6 percent previously thought and missing analyst expectations.

Japan's economic output dived last year as exports and factory production collapsed during the global economic downturn.

The country's economy contracted 5.2 percent for the whole of 2009, even worse than an initial estimate of a 5.0 percent decline, the latest figures showed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100311/bs_afp/japaneconomygrowth_20100311022315