Japan’s plunge in the second quarter was blamed on a sales-tax hike. Europe’s stagnant growth in the second quarter has been explained away as an aberration reflecting the confluence of weather effects and sanctions imposed on Russia.
当然，借口是有的——永远如此。美国经济今年一季度的负增长据说与天气有关。日本第二季度的衰退被归咎为销售税的提高。欧洲二季度的停滞被解释为气候影响和对俄制裁的共同效应。