Activity in Japan's tertiary industries rose 1.7 percent in November over the previous month for the first gain in five months, thanks to higher consumer spending on amusement and recreation, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Wednesday.
The tertiary industry index came to a seasonally adjusted 107.3 against the 1995 base of 100, rising by the largest margin since last February and matching the level posted in July, a ministry official said.
An 8.9 percent climb in personal services contributed the most to buoying the index, with gains seen particularly in sports, amusement and recreational facilities, the METI said.
But the official refrained from interpreting the November's rise as the start of a pickup in tertiary industry activity, because it might only be a temporary phenomenon.
The index on overall industrial activity in Japan, which also covers construction, industrial production and public-sector activities, edged up 0.4 percent to 100.6, also the first climb in five months.
The rise in the tertiary activity index offset the 1.7 percent drop in the industrial production index in the reporting month, the ministry said.
Activity rose at amusement facilities as personal spending in the area soared, apparently reflecting a shift to domestic entertainment from overseas travel in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Despite recovering from the double-digit declines logged in October, overseas air travel remains down 4 percent while domestic air travel has risen 4.9 percent. Overseas trips were down 8 percent against a 5.5 percent growth in domestic travel, the official said.
Activity for communications rose 5.5 percent, retailing 1.8 percent, and restaurants 5.8 percent. Activity for real estate fell 1.9 percent and edged down 1.1 percent for financial and insurance services.
"Yakiniku" beef barbecue restaurants took a 38.1 percent tumble as effects lingered from Japan's first outbreak of mad cow disease in September.