Japan’s government reports that the economy expands at a 2.1% annualized rate in the January–March quarter, with the result described as resilient despite pressures from higher energy prices. Multiple outlets cite the Cabinet Office’s preliminary data and present the figure as an annualized measure of the quarterly growth. They also report that real gross domestic product rises 0.5% quarter-on-quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking the second consecutive quarter of growth. The sources agree that consumer activity supports the expansion: private consumption increases 0.3% quarter-on-quarter, which corresponds to an annualized growth rate of 1.1% in the preliminary figures. Public demand is also reported to rise 0.3% from the previous quarter, with higher government spending contributing as well. Business Standard adds that the economy had contracted in the July–September period last year and then recorded moderate growth of 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the October–December quarter. Some reporting links the energy-cost pressure to the war in Iran, which is referenced as a factor in the broader economic context.