The seasonally adjusted index of production at factories and mines stood at 97.9 against the 2020 base of 100, the
The ministry retained its basic assessment from the previous month that industrial production "showed weakness while fluctuating indecisively."
A ministry official attributed the consecutive decline in overall production to disruptions in output at
"While the effects of the scandals were factored in to some extent, parts supply conditions that had worsened since late January did not improve among some automakers," the official said.
"In addition, many manufacturers temporarily suspended their production lines due to heavy snowfall in early February," he added.
Of the 15 industrial sectors the survey covers, seven reported decreased production, with output in the automobile industry dropping 7.9 percent.
The output of production machinery decreased 3.2 percent, led by semiconductor manufacturing equipment due to slowing electronic parts exports to
Eight sectors saw increases, led by chemicals and pulp and paper.
The index of industrial shipments dipped 0.4 percent to 96.2, while that of inventories rose 0.6 percent to 101.6 for the first increase in seven months.
Based on a poll of manufacturers, the ministry expects output to increase 4.9 percent in March and to go up 3.3 percent in April.
The ministry official said the positive outlook reflects a resurgence in production after
==Kyodo
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