Japan spending gets leap year boost, but broader outlook dim

Japan’s jobless rate came in at 3.3% in February, slightly worse from 3.2% in the previous month.

Negative effect of the extra day in February due to Leap Year?!

The result surprised economists

I trust economists' models and predictions as much as I trust politicians and their promises.

Also weighing on the economy are government plans to again raise the consumption tax from the current 8% to 10% next year.

That's a dubious one. If the tax hike is cancelled then people will no longer have an incentive to rush to buy big ticket stuff this year, ahead of the hike.

Going ahead with the plan is seen as likely to send the economy further into the doldrums, as did the last increase in April 2014.

Dubious again. The country has been in the doldrums with or without consumption tax hikes. It's been raised only 3 times (3 -> 5 -> 8%), and yet Japan has been in recession far more times than that over the same period.

And other countries like New Zealand have similar flat rate consumption tax of 15%, and are not in the doldrums.

Japan's true problems need to faced, rather than make excuses.