College students from vocational schools in Tokyo punch the air with their fists during a pep ceremony to launch their job-hunting in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday. A batch of economic indicators released in Japan in late January offered glimpses of both hope and doubt, underscoring ongoing questions about the fate of the still-fragile recovery. The jobless rate and consumer prices were better than analysts’ expectations and suggest the economy is strengthening. But household spending and retail sales tumbled as consumers tightened budgets.