Fast-falling corporate inventories meant Japanese gross domestic product grew more slowly in the second quarter of this year than was first thought, government data showed on Friday, but analysts said the nascent recovery in the world’s second largest economy remained on track.

In the three months to June, GDP expanded 0.6 per cent quarter-on-quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, revised data issued by the cabinet showed, down from the 0.9 per cent growth initially estimated last month.