The households of salaried workers in Japan spent less in fiscal 2001 than they did the previous year, a record fifth straight year of decline, a government survey showed Friday.

Wage-earning households spent an average of 332,587 yen per month in the fiscal year that ended March 31, down an inflation-adjusted 1.3 percent from the previous year, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said.

Per capita spending declined 1.8 percent to 95,571 yen.