Industrial production rose for a second month, government data showed Wednesday, as manufacturers restored operations at plants and supply chain disruptions eased after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Factory output rose 5.7 percent in May from April, when it rose 1.6 percent, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. The median estimate of 30 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a 5.5 percent gain.
The report adds to evidence that the world's third-largest economy is pulling out of its slump as companies including Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. hire workers and restore facilities damaged by the March 11 temblor. In another sign that the economy is recovering, retail sales fell at a slower pace than economists expected, the government said Tuesday.