"In 2008, average household spending fell a record 69,509 yen,
or $762, to 3.5 million yen, or $38,475,
from a year earlier, and is expected to fall again this year"
September 21, 2009
By HIROKO TABUCHI
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/global/21yen.html
Further reading:
How to get up to speed quickly on Asian business?
Forget that MBA and Study Abroad Japan
Be part of the Asian Century in 2010