Industrial output in Japan was down a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent on month in August, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in Wednesday’s preliminary reading.

That was well shy of forecasts for an increase of 1.0 percent following the 0.8 percent decline in July.

On a yearly basis, industrial production added just 0.2 percent – also below expectations for a gain of 1.8 percent following the flat reading in the previous month.

Upon the release of the data, the METI downgraded its assessment of industrial production, saying that it has weakened; previously, the METI said output had been fluctuating indecisively.

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