Industrial output for May fell 1.2 percent from the previous month to mark the third consecutive month of decline, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The decline follows a 2 percent drop in April.
The seasonally adjusted production index of mines and factories was 98.5 against the 100-point benchmark established in 1995. The reading is the lowest since January 1999, when the index read 96.1.