According to the May household survey released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, real consumer spending for households of two or more people fell 0.4% year-on-year, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline. A Reuters poll had forecast a 2.5% drop, but the result was not as weak as expected, and the ministry views consumption as showing resilience. Notable declines included a 7.6% drop in utilities and water, a 15.8% fall in transportation and communication due to sluggish car purchases, and a 3.1% decrease in culture and recreation, which includes package tour expenses. On the other hand, food rose 2.4%, furniture and household goods increased for the seventh straight month, and clothing, footwear, and education also turned positive. Takuya Hoshino of Dai-ichi Life Research Institute assessed that consumption held up despite awareness of high resource prices and inflation, and expressed the view that personal consumption is recovering moderately, supported by a gradual improvement in real wages, with no risk of a downturn for the time being.