Housing starts in Japan rose 8.3 percent in July from a year earlier to 115,343 units for the fourth consecutive month of increase, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said Wednesday.

A drop in starts on owner-occupied homes was more than offset by increases in starts on rental houses and houses for sale, the ministry said.

Starts on owner-occupied homes dropped 8.5 percent to 32,908 units, down for the 11th straight month.

But starts on rental houses advanced 17.3 percent to 45,148 units, up for the fourth straight month, and starts on houses for sale grew 14.0 percent, up for the third consecutive month.