The government's dismal economic assessment was left intact in a monthly report issued Monday, although wording used to depict the overall trend has been toned down.
"The economy continues to deteriorate," the Cabinet Office said in the December report, citing weakening private consumption, record-high 5.4 percent unemployment in October, falling industrial production, slipping corporate earnings and declining corporate investment.
In November, the Cabinet Office downgraded its economic assessment for the seventh time this year, saying, "The economy is deteriorating further."