Japan's economy contracted 6.3 percent year-on-year in October-December, government data showed on Monday, the fastest pace of contraction since the second quarter of 2014.
The preliminary reading for fourth-quarter gross domestic product was much worse than the average estimate of economists in a Reuters poll, which was for a contraction of 3.7 percent. It follows a growth rate of 0.5 percent in July to September.
Compared to the previous quarter, gross output contracted by 1.6 percent, while the average expectation was for a decline of 0.9 percent, according to data issued by the Cabinet Office.
Private consumption, which makes up more than half of the economy, fell 2.9 percent and capital spending fell 3.7 percent, while exports fell 0.1 percent.