Japan economy may surpass 73-month postwar growth record in July

TOKYO - The Japanese government is likely to maintain its view that the economy is recovering moderately in its monthly assessment for July, a source close to the matter said Thursday, raising the possibility that the economy will surpass the postwar record of 73 consecutive months of expansion.

But even if it is later confirmed that the previous record expansion seen between February 2002 and February 2008 has been exceeded, the achievement will come as households continue to struggle with a rising cost of living.