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TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The core consumer price index for Tokyo’s densely populated 23 special wards in February rose 2.2% from a year earlier, posting slower growth for the first time in four months, government data showed Friday.
The index, which excludes often volatile fresh food prices, stood at 108.5 against the 2020 base of 100, the internal affairs ministry said.
Although the index advanced for 42 months in a row, the pace of growth slowed following a resumption of government subsidies to reduce the burden of electricity and gas bills on consumers.
However, food prices kept rising. Of them, rice prices jumped 77.5%, logging a record increase for the fifth straight month.
Energy prices climbed 6.9%, smaller than the previous month’s 13.3%. With the resumption of the subsidies in January, growth in electricity and city gas prices shrank to 9.0% from 17.5% and to 3.7% from 10.5%, respectively.
Prices of food excluding fresh food advanced 5.0%. While rice prices continued rising due to strong demand, chocolate prices soared 32.6%, the largest increase in 50 years.
Fresh food prices jumped 18.4%, showing double-digit expansion for the third straight month.
The overall CPI including fresh food prices rose 2.9%, and the index excluding fresh food and energy prices climbed 1.9%.
