Japan Household Spending Up 2.3 Pct in Aug.

Tokyo, Oct. 7 (Jiji Press)–Household consumption spending in Japan in August rose 2.3 pct from a year earlier in inflation-adjusted real terms, the fourth consecutive month of growth, the internal affairs ministry said Tuesday. The average spending by households with two or more members stood at 313,977 yen. Expenditures on education and entertainment jumped 13 pct, reflecting higher spending on domestic package tours during the summer vacation season. Admission fees for cultural facilities also saw a rise thanks to the ongoing World Exposition in the western city of Osaka. Spending on transportation surged 21.4 pct, rebounding from a year before when travel was disrupted by natural disasters such as typhoons. Expenditures on clothing and footwear were up 5.4 pct due to higher spending on summer clothing. Electricity bills climbed 10.8 pct, driven by high air conditioning usage during the scorching heatwave. Automobile-related spending soared 22.4 pct because of increased vehicle purchases. Meanwhile, food expenditures fell 1.2 pct. Of them, rice purchases plunged 28.9 pct as consumers had stocked up a year earlier in preparation for natural disasters. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]