Tokyo: Japan’s consumer inflation rose in August compared to a year earlier, although the pace slightly slowed due to reduced utility costs.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Japanese internal affairs ministry reported that the Consumer Price Index, excluding fresh food, increased by 2.7% in August from a year ago. This marks a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the previous month, largely attributed to government subsidies that helped lower electricity and gas bills.
This decline represents the first time in nine months that the index has fallen below 3%, as noted by Japan’s broadcaster NHK World. Despite the overall slowdown in inflation, food prices continue to surge, rising 8% year-on-year, highlighting ongoing challenges for Japanese consumers.