Just when the experts suggest that things can't get any worse in the world's second largest economy, new figures are proving them wrong. Japanese retail sales are down again.
Prices continue to fall.
And the big banks are reporting huge losses. I'm joined now by our Tokyo correspondent, Mark Simkin. Absolutely vital, Eleanor. It's the backbone of the economy. So when in April, sales at large retailers slumped 3.5 per cent from the year before, people start to get a bit nervous.