Japan retail sales fall for eighth-straight month

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Japan's retail sales fell in April for an eighth-straight month, as household spending continued to flag amid the lingering recession, according to data released Thursday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Retail sales fell 2.9% in April compared to the year before, the government said. The result was better than March's overall sales contraction of 3.8%. In April 2008, sales fell just 0.1%.

Retail sales at large department stores and supermarkets, adjusted for inflation, fell 6.7% in April, marking the 13th straight monthly decline, according to government data.

Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires said weaker household spending in Japan will likely persist in the coming months, as companies continue to cut employees and production.

John Letzing is a MarketWatch reporter based in San Francisco.