Japan’s economic troubles offer a glimpse of a sobering future

JAPAN ONCE offered a cautionary tale of how macroeconomic mismanagement could transform a juggernaut into a laggard. As weak growth and low interest rates have spread to the rest of the world, however, it looks more like a window into the future. The view it reveals is less bleak than it used to be; “Abenomics”—the growth-boosting policies of the government of Shinzo Abe since 2012—have restored some vim. But as economic growth once again sags towards zero, it is worth asking whether Mr Abe’s programme, bold as it has been, is radical enough.