Japan Household Spending Falls 3.0 Pct in Oct.

Tokyo, Dec. 5 (Jiji Press)–Household spending in Japan in October fell 3.0 pct from a year before in inflation-adjusted real terms, the first drop in six months, reflecting sluggish expenditures on mobile phone services and automobiles, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. Consumption spending by households with two or more members averaged 306,872 yen. Spending on automobiles plunged 27.9 pct. The proportion of households buying cars remained at the same level as in October 2024, but the average amount spent decreased due to robust demand for lower-priced vehicles, such as minivehicles and used cars. Expenditures on food items slid 1.1 pct. While rice purchases rose 5.8 pct following the year-before slump that reflected higher prices, spending on alcoholic beverages and other drinks declined due to price hikes. Spending on mobile phone charges dropped 18.4 pct amid a trend of users switching to cheaper plans. Expenditures on accommodations and domestic package tours also decreased. Conversely, medical treatment spending increased due to the early spread of influenza. Expenditures on personal computers jumped 136.2 pct, reflecting replacement demand following the end of support for Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 10 operating system. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]