11.   The government seized on the stronger-than-expected growth to announce that recovery was underway after a prolonged slowdown.

12.   The government seized on the stronger-than-expected rate to proclaim that recovery was underway after a prolonged slowdown.

13.   Actual surpluses could prove to be below the Congressional Budget Office estimates if the economy hits a prolonged slowdown.

14.   Actual surpluses could be smaller than the budget office estimates if the economy hits a prolonged slowdown.

15.   Bankruptcies have been rising recently in Japan due to a prolonged economic slowdown and declining land prices.

16.   But sales lagged amid a prolonged economic slowdown, creating a serious cash crunch.

17.   Even people in the service industry, including human resource and management consultancy, do not foresee a prolonged slowdown.

18.   Japan is currently struggling to pull out of a prolonged economic slowdown.

19.   Japan has begun to emerge in the last year from a prolonged economic slowdown, but the recovery remains sluggish.

20.   Japanese officials said over the weekend that the nation would keep its low interest rates to help Japan move out of its prolonged economic slowdown.