Japan’s economy surges in third quarter

TOKYO — Japan’s government says the economy expanded at a 6 percent annualized rate in the July-September quarter as the country staged a recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami.

The real gross domestic product reading marks the first expansion for the world’s No. 3 economy in four quarters.

The Cabinet Office said Monday that the result translates to GDP growth of 1.5 percent from the previous quarter.