Japan's service sector contracts at slower pace

"Latest PMI data indicated softer reductions in both business activity and new orders, with the former falling at the softest pace in 14 months," said Usamah Bhatti, economist at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey.

TOKYO: Japan's services sector activity extended declines in March as businesses struggled to fully shake off the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a private survey showed, but the pace of the downturn was the slowest since January last year.

Some businesses said that an easing of coronavirus-related curbs that were imposed from early January for Tokyo and other prefectures led to a modest recovery in demand.