Japan’s retail sales rebounded modestly in the year to April after three straight months of falls, bolstering the central bank’s case that consumer spending is reviving to underpin a steady economic recovery. The data adds to signs of improvement in consumer confidence and eases pressure on the Bank of Japan to expand its massive stimulus program in the near term, analysts say. Retail sales in April rose 5.0 percent from a year earlier, trade ministry data showed on Thursday, slightly below a median market forecast for a 5.4 percent increase.