TOKYO, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Japan's industrial output in February fell 2.1 percent from the previous month due to weaker output of automobiles, government data showed Tuesday.
The seasonally adjusted index of production at factories and mines, based on 2020 levels set at 100, stood at 102.3, marking the first contraction in three months after an upwardly revised expansion of 4.3 percent in January, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Production dropped in 12 out of 15 industrial categories, falling 3.6 percent in the motor vehicle sector after an 8.1 percent rise in the previous month, amid a decline in orders for small trucks and a decrease in production of car engines for overseas markets, a ministry official said.
The ministry maintained its basic assessment of industrial production from the month before, saying it "fluctuates indecisively."
Based on a survey of manufacturers, the ministry expects seasonally adjusted output to climb 3.8 percent in March and 3.3 percent in April. ■
