Japan's retail sales rose for a third straight month in May, reinforcing views that strong consumption will lead an economic rebound this quarter, although rising inflation poses a risk to household spending for the rest of 2022.

Retail sales rose 3.6% in May from a year earlier, government data showed Wednesday, slightly higher than the median market forecast for a 3.3% gain.

That followed an upwardly revised 3.1% increase in April and marked the third month of advancement since March, when the government lifted all coronavirus restrictions on face-to-face services.