TOKYO, May 15 -- NHK World issued the following news:
A group of private economists believe that Japan's economy shrank in the January-to-March quarter.
The country's GDP figures will be released by the government on Thursday.
Observers will be paying close attention to consumer spending, which accounts for more than half of Japan's GDP.
The Japan Center for Economic Research aggregated GDP outlooks from 38 economists.
Their average estimate is annualized growth of minus 1.17 percent in inflation-adjusted terms when compared to the previous three months.
Most of the experts believe that disruptions in Japan's auto industry dragged down the economy's growth.
Some carmakers suspended production and shipments in the quarter after failin...