Japan's household spending fell a real 1.9% in September from a year earlier, down for the second straight month, as consumption was affected by sluggish car sales and a prolonged state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Friday.
Average spending by households with two or more people in real terms stood at ¥265,306 ($2,330), according to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry. It declined 3.0% in August.
By component, transportation and telecommunication outlays shrank 6.5%, contributing the most to the overall decrease. Spending on cars has been slow recently amid a global semiconductor crunch and parts supply disruptions resulting from virus infection surges in Southeast Asia, which have forced automakers to cut output.