false prosperity; superficial prosperity
Rare term for an economic or social situation that appears prosperous but lacks substance. Often used in critical or analytical contexts.
Some economists point out that the boom during the bubble period was actually false prosperity.
Compound of 空 (から, 'empty') and 景気 (けいき, 'economic conditions'), literally 'empty prosperity'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged in economic discourse to describe unsustainable booms.