In addition to the pleasant weather, the apparent recovery from Japan's four-year recession is also lifting spirits and boosting night life.

The move was another sign that the economy, crippled by a four-year recession, is mending.

But with a four-year recession that is proving deeper for this state than for any other, its grand suburban experiment has hit a roadblock.

But he was unable to halt a four-year recession, reduce government spending or win over foreign investors and lending agencies like the International Monetary Fund.

A Calculated Gamble So why was last year's budget relatively bountiful, at least in the context of a crushing four-year recession?

The move, which will free an estimated $5.5 billion still trapped in banks, was another sign that the economy, crippled by a four-year recession, is gradually mending.

That is why Japan's unemployment rate is 2.9 percent, compared with 5.4 percent in the United States, despite a four-year recession here.

Japan is pulling out of a four-year recession, and we're starting to see some signs in Europe of companies doing restructurings that will improve their profitability.

The Japanese said yesterday that the economy appeared to be gaining momentum after a four-year recession.

But the confidence was in the dollar, and that is where Argentines sought refuge when government finances started to weaken significantly last year as a result of a four-year recession.