Japan's industrial production inched up 0.3 percent in April from March before for the second straight month of increase, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

    The figure beat the average estimate of the 1.5-per-cent fall polled by the Nikkei business daily and followed a 3.8-per-cent increase in March over February. The index of production at factories and mines stood at 97.0 against a 2010 baseline of 100, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. 

    Chemicals, electrical machinery, and general-purpose, production and business-oriented machinery industries contributed to the bulk of the increase, the ministry said.

    Manufacturers surveyed by the ministry expect industrial production to rise 2.2 per cent in May and edge up 0.3 per cent in June. The index of industrial shipments climbed 1.5 per cent in April from the previous month to 95.9, and that of industrial inventories fell 1.7 per cent to 113.4.