Japan's industrial production expanded in November for the third straight month, with the index registering its highest level since February 2001, the government said Friday.
The index of output at mines and factories rose a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent to 98.5 against the base of 100 for 2000 in the reporting month from October, the highest level since a figure of 99.4 was registered in February 2001, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.
The third consecutive monthly rise underlined the fact that industrial production in the world's second-largest economy remains on track for a recovery, although METI stopped short of revising upward its assessment on the output, citing a negative outlook in December.