Tokyo, Sha'ban 11, 1437, May 18, 2016, SPA -- The Japanese economy expanded at an annualized rate of 1.7 per cent in the January to March period due to a recovery in consumer spending, the government said Wednesday, according to dpa. Private consumption, which makes up 60 per cent of output, rose 0.5 per cent quarter on quarter, while corporate investment fell 1.4 per cent, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report. The economy shrank 1.7 per cent in the October to December quarter, revised down from 1.1-per-cent contraction estimated in March. --SPA 03:33 LOCAL TIME 00:33 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w