TOKYO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japan's household spending in November fell a real 0.4 percent from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline, as consumers cut expenditures on home appliances and food amid inflation, government data showed Friday.
Households of two or more people spent an average of 295,518 yen (about 1,900 U.S. dollars) in November, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.
By category, spending on furniture and electric appliances tumbled 13.8 percent, falling for the third straight month, while expenditures on clothing and footwear shed 13.7 percent, down for the second consecutive month, according to the data.
Expenditures on recreation and leisure fell 2.9 percent as people spent less on playing golf and accommodation, while food purchases dropped 0.6 percent, with consumers adopting cost-saving measures.
Meanwhile, outlays on housing, including repair and maintenance costs for kitchens and sinks, jumped 18.7 percent, up for the first time in four months.
Accounting for more than half of Japan's gross domestic product, household spending is a key gauge of private consumption in the country. ■
