Japan's consumer prices rise for 1st time in more than 2 years in April

Japan's core consumer prices rose 0.6 percent in April from a year earlier, reversing 25 consecutive months of decline, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.

According to the ministry, the fall in the core consumer price index, which excludes volatile prices of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood, matched median market expectations for a 0.6 percent rise and follows a 0.1 percent fall logged in March, standing at 99.8 against the 2005 base of 100.

The government said the rise in CPI was partly attributable to the government's halting of high school tuition fees a year earlier, with economists saying this alone likely pushed prices down by some 0.5 percent.

In addition rising commodity prices also applied pressure to the index in the recording period, the government data revealed.

In Tokyo alone CPI, which is considered a leading indicator for the wider nation, rose 0.1 percent on year in May, after rising 0. 2 percent a month earlier.

May's figure was marginally higher than the market forecast for a 0.2 percent increase and marked the second annual rise since March 2009, the ministry said.

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