TOKYO, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Japan's industrial output increased 1.8 percent in December from a month earlier, while the annual figure saw a second year of contraction, government data showed Wednesday.
The seasonally adjusted index of production at factories and mines last month stood at 105.9 against the 2020 base of 100, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.
It followed a 0.9-percent decline in November, the data showed.
Of the 15 industries surveyed, 12 saw output increases during the period, including general-purpose and business-oriented machinery, chemicals as well as production machinery. Meanwhile, industries including other manufacturing contributed to the decrease.
In December, the index of industrial shipments saw a positive turnaround by gaining 2.5 percent to 105.2, while that of inventories decreased by 1.2 percent to 102.9, marking a decline for the first time in two months, the ministry said.
The ministry anticipated a slight decline in the index of industrial production for January 2024, followed by a reversal and an upward trend in February.
In 2023, Japan's industrial output fell 1.1 percent from the previous year to 104.1, marking an annual contraction for the second consecutive year, according to local media reports.
The impact on the industrial output of a magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck central Japan on New Year's Day is expected to be "limited", national news agency Kyodo reported, citing an official with the ministry. ■
