Japan returned to growth in the second quarter after a year of contraction, but economists warned that the recovery remained vulnerable to any faltering in export demand or tightening of the government’s fiscal stimulus spigot.

Preliminary data released on Monday showed gross domestic product expanded a seasonally adjusted 0.9 per cent quarter on quarter between April and June, its first rise since the first quarter of 2008 and the equivalent of 3.7 per cent growth on an annualised basis.