TOKYO, 31st May, 2025 (WAM) – Japan's industrial output in April fell 0.9% from the previous month for the first decline in three months, dragged down by a drop in manufacturing equipment for flat-panel displays, government data showed.
The seasonally adjusted index of production at factories and mines stood at 101.5 against the 2020 base of 100, a preliminary report from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed. It followed an upwardly revised 0.2%t increase in March.
The revision from a 1.1% drop in the March preliminary data reflected a sharp increase in output of pharmaceutical products that had not been included, according to the ministry.
The ministry maintained its basic assessment of industrial production from the previous month, saying it "fluctuates indecisively," as the environment surrounding industrial output remains uncertain.
According to Kyodo News, a ministry official said the impact of hefty U.S. tariffs on the overall data was limited, while some companies expressed concern about the prospects for manufacturing.
Of the 15 industrial sectors covered in the survey, six sectors, including production machinery, transport equipment excluding motor vehicles, and fabricated metals, saw output falls.Eight including electronic parts and devices, and general-purpose and business oriented machinery, logged increases, while other manufacturing including carbon fiber remained flat from the previous month.
Output of production machinery fell 8.7% due to slumping production of display manufacturing equipment for export, while electronic parts and devices rose 5.4%, propped up by brisk demand for electronic circuit boards and logic integrated circuits for domestic and overseas use.
Based on a poll of manufacturers, the ministry expects output to jump 9.0% in May, driven mainly by production machinery, and then drop 3.4% in June.
In April, the index of industrial shipments rose 0.2% to 99.9, while that of inventories shed 0.5% to 101.6.