MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan March Household Spending Rose 2.1% Y/Y

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

for March increased 2.1% on a yearly basis, a survey released by Japan's

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed Friday.

     --Spending by households with two or more people rose 2.1% y/y, faster than

previous month's 1.7% gain and MNI's survey median of 1.6%, posting the fourth

straight y/y rise. 

     --March's rise was driven by a rise in housing demand, which surged to 9.4%

y/y from last month's 4.7% with the contribution of 0.46%. Spending on education

also performed well by increasing 7.2% y/y, compared with last month's 4.9%

drop.

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

to 1.4% y/y from February's 0.1%, the fifth straight month seeing an increase. 

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

 "shows sign 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$$$]