MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan January Household Spending -3.9% Y/Y

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's average monthly spending per household fell for the

fourth straight month on a yearly basis in January on the back of tax hikes, a

survey released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

showed Friday.

     --Spending by households with two or more people dropped 3.9% y/y, slowing

down from the previous month's 4.8% fall. The decrease came in the same as the

MNI survey median of a 3.9% y/y decline. 

     --Spending on food fell 0.9% y/y, compared with December's 2.1% fall, and

fuel, lighting and water charges dropped 5.5% y/y, following the previous 1.8%

decline.

     --The average real income of households with salaried workers rose 2.1%

y/y, wiping off the 1.9% y/y fall recorded in December. 

     --Household spending fell 1.6% m/m in January, following last month's 1.2%

m/m drop.

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

--MNI Sydney Bureau; +61 405322399; email: lachlan.colquhoun.ext@marketnews.com

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