Japan's gross domestic product was up 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2013 compared to the previous three months, the Cabinet Office said in Thursday's preliminary reading.
That beat forecasts for an increase of 0.4 percent, although it slowed from the 0.9 percent gain in the second quarter.
On an annualized basis, GDP climbed 1.9 percent - also topping expectations for a gain of 1.7 percent but only half of the Q2 increase of 3.8 percent.
The GDP deflator was down 0.3 percent on quarter, topping forecasts for -0.5 percent- which would have been unchanged.
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