Japan’s factory output slumps in worrying sign for economy

Factory production falls 1.3 percent in April as China’s lockdowns and the Ukraine war weigh on manufacturers.

Japan’s factory output fell sharply last month as China’s draconian “zero COVID” policies and supply chain blockages hampered manufacturing and dampened prospects for growth in the world’s third-largest economy.

Factory production fell 1.3 percent in April compared with the previous month, government data showed on Tuesday, amid steep declines in the manufacture of items…