Year-on-year, prices rebounded for transportation and communication (0.3 percent from -0.7 percent in December), mainly private transportation (2.5 percent from 0.4 percent). In addition, inflation rose for recreation and culture (0.9 percent from 0.5 percent), clothing and footwear (1.1 percent from 0.6 percent), miscellaneous goods and services (0.4 percent from 0.3 percent). In contrast, prices rose at a slower pace for food (1.8 percent from 2.5 percent), namely fresh food (8 percent from 13.8 percent). Inflation also slowed for medical care (0.5 percent from 0.8 percent) and was steady at 1.5 percent for education. Prices of fuel, light and water charges fell less (-3.4 percent from -4.8 percent) and declined 0.2 percent for housing, the same as in December.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged up 0.1 percent, following a 0.2 percent decline in December.
In Tokyo, consumer prices fell 0.3 percent in February, following a 0.1 percent gain in January and worse than expectations of a 0.1 percent drop. Core consumer prices, which exclude fresh food, also declined 0.3 percent from a year earlier, the same as in the previous month and compared to expectations of a 0.2 percent drop.
