TOKYO: Machine tool orders received by Japanese makers in September fell 15.0 percent from a year before to 84,143 million yen, industry data have shown.

Orders declined for the 24th straight month, as companies remained cautious about capital spending amid the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, according to preliminary data released by the Japan Machine Tool Builders’ Association on Monday.

Meanwhile, machine tool orders from abroad went up 1.8 percent to 53,870 million yen, marking the first increase since September 2018 thanks to a recovery of orders from China, which apparently overcame the impacts of the coronavirus epidemic ahead of other countries.

The orders from abroad were the highest so far this year.

On the other hand, domestic orders dropped 34.3 percent to 30,273 million yen.

“The business situation has improved only in China,” said an official of the association. “The United States, Europe and Japan have yet to see any improvement.”

JIJI Press