MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan April Household Spending +1.3% Y/Y

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's average monthly consumption expenditure per household

increased 1.3% on a yearly basis in April, a survey released by Japan's Ministry

of Internal Affairs and Communications showed Friday.

     --Spending by households with two or more people slowed to 1.3% y/y from

the previous month's 2.1% gain, posting the fifth straight y/y rise. The

increase came in lower than MNI's survey median of +3.0% y/y. 

     --April's slowdown was a result of contracting expenditure on major items

-- spending on housing fell 10.5% compared with March's 9.4% gain, which weighed

on overall expenditure by 0.59%, and fuel, light and water charges fell 3.2%,

deducting 0.25% of the growth.

     --The average real income of households with salaried workers decelerated

to 1.1% y/y from March's 1.4%, the sixth straight month seeing an increase. 

     --Japan's government kept its view on household spending outlook, which ,

it says, "shows signs of pickup".

--MNI Beijing Bureau; tel: +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: flora.guo@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MAJDS$,MAUDR$,MAUDS$,M$A$$$,M$J$$$,M$U$$$]