TOKYO -- A sharp drop in exports to China reduced Japan's economic growth to a crawl in the January-March period, a survey of private-sector economists suggests.
Real gross domestic product likely grew just 0.003% from the previous quarter on an annualized basis, based on the average response from 15 economists. Exports are estimated to have declined by 1.5% and capital spending by 1.8%. Private consumption, which had propped up the economy in the past, also fell.
