Japan industrial output falls more than forecast

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch)
Japan's industrial production dropped 3.1% in May, accelerating from a 0.2% decrease, data released Friday showed
The decrease was worse than a 2.8% fall expected in separate surveys by Dow Jones Newswires and Reuters
Compared to a year earlier, when Japan was still reeling from a nuclear crisis and the aftermath of a major earthquake, industrial output was 6.2% higher
Car production led the drop in May, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said, while non-pharmaceutical chemicals also drove the fall
On the brighter side, a survey included with the data showed manufacturers now expect a 2.7% gain in June output, up from a forecast rise of 2.4% in last month's survey