Activity in tertiary industries grew a preliminary 0.3 percent in July from the previous month for the first gain in two months, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported Tuesday.
The seasonally adjusted tertiary industry activity index came to 106.5 against the 1995 base of 100, according to METI.
Activity was boosted partly due to resumed use of sports facilities that many refrained from using during the World Cup soccer games in June.
The index of all-industry activity, a supply-side measure of economic growth, rose 0.2 percent from the previous month to 101.8, the first gain in two months. On a year-on-year basis, the index grew 0.9 percent for its first rise in 15 months.
Despite the improvement, tertiary industrial activity remains flat, a METI official said.
Personal services, including those related to sports facilities, rose 4.2 percent, while business services fell 1.8 percent.
Activity in services related to real estate rose 3 percent, partly due to brisk real estate transactions in the Kinki region.
Communications-related service activity fell 1.2 percent, while that related to transport rose 0.5 percent.
Wholesale activity climbed 0.3 percent, but retail activity fell 1.1 percent.