The Japanese economy advanced 0.4% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June 2019, and following an upwardly revised 0.7% growth in the previous period, a preliminary estimate showed. This marked the third straight quarter of GDP expansion, supported by robust private consumption and solid business investment while exports contracted much softer. On an annualized basis, the economy grew by 1.8% in the second quarter, after an upwardly revised 2.8% expansion in the March quarter.