11 August 2013 Last updated at 20:26 ET
Japanese exports were one of the biggest contributors to growth
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%, government data showed.
That is down from the 4.1% annualised rate in the first three months of the year. Analysts were expecting a 3.6% expansion.
The data complicates Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's planned sales-tax rise.
The Cabinet Office numbers showed exports and public spending contributed the most to growth, which showed the economy expanded for a third straight quarter. Private investment however weakened.
Source: BBC News - Business http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23662630#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
