追加預算支撐成長
Japan’s economy took a battering from the consumption tax increase in the last quarter of 2019, contracting by the most it has in over five years, and fueling recession concerns as the coronavirus outbreak hits economic activity.
日本2019年第四季經濟因為消費稅調高，受到重創，出現五年多來最嚴重的萎縮，隨著新冠肺炎疫情衝擊經濟活動，引發經濟衰退的疑慮。
take a battering 遭受打擊、受到重創、慘敗contract(v)萎縮、縮小fuel(v.)激起、引起
Japan’s gross domestic product shrank at an annualized rate of 6.3% in the last three months of 2019, the biggest contraction since the previous tax increase in 2014.
2019年最後一季，日本國內生產毛額折合年率萎縮6.3％，是2014年上一次加稅以來最大的萎縮。
gross domestic product 簡稱GDP，國內生產毛額annualized rate 年率annualized rate of return 年化報酬率contraction(n.)萎縮、縮小
Economists surveyed had predicted a fall of 3.8%, highlighting the adverse impact of the tax hike, weak global demand and typhoon-related disruptions.
受訪的經濟學家原本預測下降3.8％，凸顯加稅、全球需求疲軟和颱風相關災害的不利影響。
adverse impact 不利影響adverse(adj.)不利的;負面的;有害的tax hike 加稅hike(n.)增加
The consumption tax hike in October of last year weighed on private consumption.
去年10月上調消費稅影響民間消費。
weigh on 影響、使人焦慮不安、使人擔憂
Officials had been optimistic that an easing of the effect of the consumption tax increase would return the country to growth as the new year began.
日本官員原本樂觀認為，新年到來，增加消費稅的效應緩和下來，可以讓經濟恢復成長。
optimistic(adj.)樂觀的pessimistic (adj.)悲觀的easing (n.)緩和an easing of inflationary pressure 通膨壓力緩和
But then the coronavirus outbreak began, halting the flow of tourists from China and further imperiling Japanese exports.
但是後來新冠肺炎疫情開始爆發，中斷陸客到日本觀光，還進一步危及日本出口。
halt (n.)停止、中斷、阻止imperil(v.)危及;使陷入危險= endanger
It’s unclear how long the virus outbreak will continue, but the entire global economy could suffer from a prolonged shock in China, and some economists are already predicting slower growth for the year.
目前還不清楚疫情會持續多久，但整個全球經濟可能會受到中國長期衝擊，有些經濟學家已經預測今年的經濟成長會放緩。
prolonged shock 長期衝擊prolonged 延續很久的;長期的
The ripple effects of the virus are hitting Japan particularly hard; China is its largest trading partner and by far its biggest source of visitors, many of whom come ready to shop.
冠狀病毒的連鎖反應對日本的打擊特別嚴重：中國是日本最大的貿易夥伴，也是目前日本最大的觀光客來源，其中許多人到日本購物。
ripple effect連鎖反應ripple(n.)波紋、漣漪
If Japan’s economy shrinks again in the first quarter of 2020, the country will officially fall into recession for the first time since a brief dip in 2015.
如果日本經濟2020年第一季再度萎縮，就正式陷入2015年短暫下滑以來首次衰退。
fall into recession 陷入衰退dip(n.)下降;下滑
A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.
經濟衰退的定義是連續兩季萎縮。
consecutive(adj.)連續的;連貫的
Economists expect the Japanese government will submit an extra budget to support growth once it becomes clear that the economy has headed downward in the first quarter of 2020.
經濟學家預計，一旦第一季經濟明顯下滑，日本政府將提出追加預算，以支撐經濟成長。
submit(v.)提交;提出submit your application 提出申請extra budget 額外預算，追加預算downward (adj.)(adv.)衰退的，局勢變壞的