Japan's June industrial output fell at the fastest rate since the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 as companies slowed production to offset a build-up in inventories, clouding the outlook for the economy. The 3.3 percent month-on-month drop far exceeded the median 1.2 percent fall forecast in a Reuters poll of economists, and followed a 0.7 percent increase in May, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) showed on Wednesday.In unusually frank language, a METI spokesman said the data showed shipments of goods fell for five consecutive months - a pattern similar to the last time Japan was in ... (full story)