An index measuring tertiary industrial activity in Japan was down a seasonally adjusted 1.0 percent on month in February, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Friday - standing at 100.6.
That was well shy of forecasts for an increase of 0.2 percent following the 0.9 percent jump in January.
Among the individual components of the survey, activity was down for accommodations, finance, transportation, wholesale trade, real estate and health care.
Activity was up for communications and utilities; learning support was flat.
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