Core private-sector machinery orders in April lost 3.3 percent from the previous month, marking an unexpected fall and adding to the view that reconstruction work following the March earthquake and tsunami has yet to fully accelerate, government data showed Monday.

The seasonally adjusted figure, excluding orders for ships and from utilities, dropped for the first time in four months to ¥711.9 billion, the Cabinet Office said.

Market participants had expected a continuing rise in the key indicator for future capital spending by Japanese firms, following growth of 1.0 percent in March, 1.7 percent in February and 4.0 percent in January.