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SME Business Conditions Judgment DI Declines for the 3rd Consecutive Quarter ~Results of the 183rd Survey of Small and Medium Business Economy (January-March 2026)~

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AI Summary (NQ-processed)

The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency's survey for January-March 2026 reveals that the overall Business Conditions Judgment DI for SMEs declined for the third consecutive quarter to -17.6. While manufacturing, retail, and wholesale sectors showed improvements, construction and service industries saw a decrease in their business outlook.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the SME Business Conditions Judgment DI for all industries in the January-March 2026 period, and how did it compare to the previous quarter?
A: The SME Business Conditions Judgment DI for all industries was -17.6 in January-March 2026, decreasing by 0.1 percentage points from the previous period and declining for the third consecutive quarter.
Q: Which industries experienced an increase in the Business Conditions Judgment DI during the January-March 2026 survey period?
A: The manufacturing, retail, and wholesale industries saw increases in their Business Conditions Judgment DI, with manufacturing rising to -15.9, retail to -26.5, and wholesale to -15.1 in the January-March 2026 period.
Q: How did the construction and service industries' Business Conditions Judgment DI perform in the January-March 2026 survey?
A: The construction industry's Business Conditions Judgment DI fell to -11.3, a decrease of 2.6 percentage points, while the service industry's DI dropped to -15.4, down 2.2 percentage points in the January-March 2026 period.
Q: What trend was observed in the manufacturing industry's Inquiry DI in the year-on-year comparison for January-March 2026?
A: The manufacturing industry's Inquiry DI (year-on-year) rose for the second consecutive quarter in the January-March 2026 survey, indicating improving demand trends despite a negative overall business condition.
Q: Who conducted the 183rd Survey of Small and Medium Business Economy, and what method was used to collect data?
A: The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, conducted the survey using interviews carried out by management advisors from Chambers of Commerce and Industry as of March 1, 2026.