TOKYO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Japan's industrial output fell 9.6 percent in December from the previous month, government data showed, posting the biggest drop on record and a bigger decline than a median market forecast for a 9.0 percent drop.
Manufacturers' output, the core component of production, is expected to fall 9.1 percent in January and decrease 4.7 percent in February, the data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed on Friday.
Industrial output fell 11.9 percent in October-December from the previous three months, marking the fourth straight quarter of declines. (Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Chris Gallagher)