Japan's industrial production rose one percent in April, the first increase in three months, Efe news agency reported.
However, the figures published on Friday by the ministry of economy, trade and industry, also show a fall of 0.1 percent compared to the same month in 2014.
The industries that contributed most to the month-on-month rise were electronic components and devices, electrical machinery and processed metals.
According to a survey of major companies carried out by the ministry, industrial production is expected to increase a further 0.5 percent in May and drop again by a similar amount in June.
Industrial production, which measures the pace of Japanese factories, is considered key in anticipating the progress of an economy highly dependent on the manufacturing sector.