The Japan Center for Economic Research said that Japan's real gross domestic product shrank for a second month in April 2011, dipping 0.9% on the month after a record 4% fall in March 2011.

With the March 11th 2011 disaster throwing supply chains into chaos, manufacturing of autos and other products declined. This led to a 5.9% drop in exports.

Consumer spending fell 0.2%. While department store sales recovered, supply shortages pushed down sales of various products, including automobiles.

(Sourced from Nikkei)