Average household spending in July rose 1.3 percent in real terms from a year earlier to 316,444 yen, up for the second consecutive month, the government said Friday.
The increase, which builds on a 2.8 percent gain in June, is identical to increases in spending by wage-earning households alone, the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said.
Spending rose 12.3 percent on housing and 8.1 percent on medicine and medical services. It fell 10.2 percent on furniture and household goods, 4.5 percent on clothing and footwear and 1.5 percent on food, it said.
Household spending accounts for about 60 percent of Japan's gross domestic product, and wage-earning households' outlays make up 60 percent of total household spending.