TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - Housing starts in May fell 0.2 pct year-on-year to 100,250 units after a fall of 7.2 pct in April, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.
The ministry provided the following May housing starts breakdown, with year-on-year percentage changes:
Owner-occupied - 33,756 units, down 14.0 pct
Rental - 38,159 units, up 12.5 pct
For resale - 27,887 units, up 6.0 pct

The new figures compare with the following data for April with year-on-year percentage changes:
Owner-occupied - 34,971 units, down 15.8 pct
Rental - 35,391 units, down 1.5 pct
For resale - 28,336 units, down 1.6 pct

Earlier, private-sector economists forecast May housing starts would come in at between flat and a fall of 9.2 pct, with the consensus at a fall of 4.4 pct.