Japan’s corporate investment appetite softened slightly in the third quarter of 2026, with the Tankan All Big Industry CAPEX indicator easing to 11.3%, down from 11.5% in the previous quarter. The data, updated on 30 September 2026, signals a modest cooling in capital expenditure plans among Japan’s largest companies after a period of relatively solid investment intentions earlier in the year.
The small 0.2 percentage-point decline from the second quarter suggests that while major Japanese firms are not pulling back sharply, they are showing a touch more caution in committing to new plants, equipment and technology. Investors and policymakers will be watching upcoming quarters closely to see whether this is the start of a broader downshift in corporate capital spending or simply a pause following earlier strength.
