Japan GDP 'is not a bad number at all', says analyst

Japan's economy expanded at a slower pace than most analysts expected in the second quarter.

Gross domestic product grew 0.6% in the April to June period, indicating an annualised increase of 2.6%, according the latest government figures.

That is down from the 4.1% annual rate in the first three months of the year. Analysts were expecting growth of 3.6%.

Mizuho International Director Dr Seijiro Takeshita said that growth was being "back-loaded to the next quarter" and that GDP of 2.6% was "not a bad number at all".