This article examines the causes of Japan's economic slowdown since the 1990s, including over-investment in real estate and stocks, appreciation of the yen, government policies, emergence of new rivals, population aging, lack of structural reforms and the impacts of global financial crisis and 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Government policies to stimulate economic activity have been implemented such as monetary easing programs, fiscal stimulus packages and structural reforms. It remains unclear whether these measures will be successful but they provide some hope for future growth within Japan’s economy.