China eyes Japan's slowing GDP growth

Economic growth in Japan weakened significantly in the last financial quarter, official figures show.

Between April and June this year gross domestic product - the sum of the nation's goods and services - grew by 0.1%, much lower than expected.

Analysts say the country's export-led recovery appears to be faltering as the value of the yen appreciates.

World Bank figures show that in the first eight years of this century Japan's economy expanded by just 5% while China's grew by 261%.

The GDP figures give further credibility to the widely held belief that China will soon overtake Japan as the world's second biggest economy.

Roland Buerk reports from Tokyo.