Tokyo  - Japan's core machinery orders rose 5.5 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms in April to 1.01 trillion yen (9.58 billion dollars), compared to the month before, the government said Tuesday.

The April figure was stronger than the average market expectation of a 2.7-per-cent rise.

But the government maintained its basic assessment as "weakening."

"Although core orders rebounded in April, the total amount of orders is still at a relatively low level," a Cabinet Office official said.

April core orders expanded on robust demand from shipbuilders, and transport equipment and general machinery makers for items such as internal combustion engines, railroad vehicles and telecommunications equipment.

In April, manufacturers' orders grew a seasonally adjusted 1.9 per cent from March to 439.9 billion yen, rising for the first time in three months.

Orders from non-manufacturers rose 8.8 per cent to 573 billion yen, also up for the first time in three months.

Compared with the same month a year before, the key orders were up 0.5 per cent. (dpa)