One speaker argued that economists should give up on prediction and settle for explanation, identifying where earthquakes might strike, if not when, and how they might be withstood, if not prevented.
Although the figure was slightly lower than the 11.9% forecast by many economists, it was still higher than the Commission's year-end 11.3% prediction.
Not quite as bracing as the prediction above, but equally meritorious, have been the criticisms of Abenomics from world-class economists of which that of Martin Feldstein writing for Project Syndicate on January 17 is representative.