Japan's industrial production plummeted a record 15.3 percent from the previous month in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said in a preliminary report on Thursday.

The record decline in the recording period was due to the March 11 twin disasters that destroyed infrastructures, damaged production facilities and severely disrupted key supply chains, the government said.

March's figure far exceeded median economists' expectations for an 11.4 percent drop and the index stood at 82.9 against the base of 100 for 2005.

Industrial shipments plummeted 14.3 percent to 85.3 and industrial inventories dropped 4.3 percent to 97.6, the government data showed.