Real gross domestic product rose an annualized 2.6 percent in the three months to June, the Cabinet Office announced Monday, bolstering the government¡¯s claim that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe¡¯s economic policy is continuing its run of success, if at a slightly slower pace than most economists had projected.

On a quarterly basis, the economy grew 0.6 percent in the April-June period.

Debate now centers on whether the growth is enough to sustain momentum for the planned consumption tax hike next April.