...economists here: deflation. "The economy itself is certainly in a state of deflation. There is no hiding that fact," Kiichi Miyazawa said. If left unchecked, deflation is extremely damaging by setting off a downward spiral that is difficult to stop...

...collapse and later death of Keizo Obuchi, would have been the first prime minister to lose a confidence vote since Kiichi Miyazawa in 1993. Kato's rebellion also appeared to have the support of the public -- though by narrow margins. Two public...

...Japan learned that its deeply troubled economy had narrowly avoided a recession late last year, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said: "The economy itself is certainly in a state of deflation. There is no hiding that fact." Deflation, the...