TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan's industrial output dropped 1.2 percent in August from a month earlier, falling for the second consecutive month, government data showed Tuesday.
The seasonally adjusted index of production at factories and mines, following an upwardly revised 1.2 percent drop in July, stood at 100.9 against the 2020 base of 100, according to data released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Production fell in 12 out of 15 industrial sectors covered in the survey, including metal products, and inorganic and organic chemicals.
The production of electrical machinery and information and communication electronics equipment fell 5.7 percent from the previous month, weighed down by a lull in demand for personal computers.
Meanwhile, motor vehicle production, a key industry for Japan, rose 2.5 percent from a month earlier, helped by a strong demand in overseas markets.
The ministry maintained its assessment of industrial output that it "fluctuates indecisively."
A ministry official said it remains difficult to gauge the negative impact of higher U.S. tariffs on Japan's industrial output.
Based on a survey of manufacturers, the ministry expects seasonally adjusted output to climb 4.1 percent in September and gain 1.2 percent in October. ■
