Japan’s Industrial Output Falls Most Since 2011 Quake

Japan’s industrial output fell the most since the March 2011 earthquake and consumer prices declined, bolstering the case for extra stimulus to sustain the nation’s economic recovery.

Production declined 3.1 percent in May from April, the Trade Ministry said in Tokyo today. A holiday may have played a role and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley cited post-quake difficulties in seasonal adjustments. Consumer prices excluding fresh food fell 0.1 percent in May from a year earlier.