http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/36020dd2-18ea-11de-bec8-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

The country’s dismal February trade performance was the latest in a string of bleak economic figures. It fuelled expectations that Japan was on course to suffer a steep fall in output in the first three months of 2009 that could match or even exceed the 3.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter decline recorded in the final three months of last year.

Japanese officials fret that deepening recessions in key markets could lead to protectionist measures that would further hobble exporters already hampered by the strength of the yen.Japanese officials fret that deepening recessions in key markets could lead to protectionist measures that would further hobble exporters already hampered by the strength of the yen.

dismal 陰気な，陰うつな

in a string of 一連の

bleak 厳しい,暗い

fret いらだつ，悩む

hobble よろよろ歩く; 片足を引いて歩く