(Alliance News) - Japan's unemployment rate unexpectedly eased in April, official data showed on Friday.

According to the latest labour force survey from the Statistics Bureau of Japan, the seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to 2.5% in April from 2.7% in March.

The reading was below the FXStreet-cited consensus forecast that had anticipated no change from the previous month.

Meanwhile, preliminary figures from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry also released Friday showed that Japan's industrial production improved in April while retail spending also strengthened.

Industrial production rose 0.8% month-on-month in April, revising a 0.4% decline in March and beating the 0.9% fall consensus cited by FXStreet.

Industrial production rose 2.3% in April from the previous year, easing slightly from 2.4% in March.

Retail sales increased 2.1% annually in April, accelerating from 1.4% in March.

By Judy Amaca, Alliance News reporter Asia-Pacific

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