TOKYO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japanese workers had a gloomier view of the economy in November, with their sentiment falling for the first time in seven months, a government survey showed.
The index measuring the workers' mood stood at 48.7 last month, down 0.4 points from October, according to the Cabinet Office's Economy Watchers Survey, which attributed the change to negative sentiment in the food and beverage sectors.
The monthly survey covered more than 2,000 people in a range of industries to compare current economic conditions with those from three months earlier. A reading under 50 means more workers have a negative view than those who are positive.
The Cabinet Office said the decline was mainly due to negative sentiment in food-and-beverage-related industries because of inflation and the impact of influenza on demand.
Despite the challenges, the Cabinet Office said that business sentiment has improved for some industries and maintained its previous assessment that the economy is recovering. ■