TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said the 0. 9 pct fall in the July tertiary index was due partly to extremely hot summer conditions, which affected the retail service sector.
The service sector for retail clients saw a month-on-month fall of 5.2 pct in July, while the transportation/telecom sector for retail clients saw a 1.8 pct fall in the month.
Transportation service for corporate clients saw a 1.9 pct fall in July from the previous month, while telecom services for corporate clients posted a 2.2 pct fall led by a 3.4 pct fall in mobile phone services.
"The slowdown in the pace of growth in mobile phone subscriber numbers appears to have stood as a reason for the fall, but the underlying trend seems to be still solid," a ministry official said.