The Japanese au Jibun Bank Flash Manufacturing Output Index rose to 48.9 in April, up from 46.6 in March, S&P Global's report released Wednesday showed.
The figure remained below the neutral 50 threshold, pointing to a continued decline in production, though the pace of contraction eased.
"Factories saw new orders decline at the steepest rate in over a year amid a stronger deterioration in foreign demand, as well as reports of subdued client spending and concerns over tariffs," Annabel Fiddes, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, stated in the report.