Consumer prices in Japan slipped 0.4 percent on year in July, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday – matching expectations and unchanged from June's annual reading.
Core CPI, which excludes volatile food costs, slid 0.5 percent on year – missing forecasts for -0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.
Among the individual components, fuel costs were down 7.7 percent on year, followed by communications (-2.6 percent), furniture (-0.8 percent) and housing (-0.1 percent).
Clothing prices jumped an annual 2.4 percent, followed by education (1.6 percent), food (1.1 percent), medical care (0.9 percent) and recreation (0.8 percent).
On a monthly basis, overall inflation and core CPI both dipped 0.2 percent.
Among the individual components, clothing prices skidded 2.6 percent on month, followed by fuel and furniture (both -0.8 percent), and food and recreation (both -0.1 percent).
Communications and recreation costs gained 0.1 percent, while housing, education and medical care all were flat.
Overall inflation in Tokyo, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend, slipped 0.5 percent on year in August. That missed expectations for 0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.
Core CPI in August was down an annual 0.4 percent – matching expectations and the same as in the previous month.
Among the individual components, fuel costs were down 9.7 percent on year, followed by communications (-1.4 percent), furniture (-1.9 percent) and housing (-0.5 percent).
Clothing prices jumped an annual 2.4 percent, followed by recreation (0.9 percent), education and medical care (both 0.8 percent) and food (0.4 percent).
On a monthly basis, both overall and core inflation advanced 0.1 percent.
Individually, recreation costs gained 1.7 percent on month, followed by communications (0.5 percent).
Fuel prices slid 1.5 percent, while clothing prices fell 1.2 percent and food dipped 0.2 percent.
by RTT Staff Writer
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