The nation's industrial production in January fell by a bigger-than-expected 6.6 percent from the previous month on weakness among carmakers, prompting the government to lower its basic assessment for the first time in over two years, industry ministry data showed Wednesday.
The seasonally adjusted index of factory and mine output dropped for the first time in four months to 99.5 against the base of 100 for 2010, following an upwardly revised 2.9 percent increase in December, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.
The index came in weaker than market forecasts of a roughly 4 percent decline. It was the biggest fall since a 16.5 percent drop in March 2011 amid supply disruptions following the Great East Japan Earthquake.