Japan’s core consumer price index, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, increased 1.7% yoy in August 2026, after a 1.8% rise in July. The latest reading slowed from the highest rate in six months, touched a month earlier, and was below the market forecast of 1.8%. Still, the latest reading remained below the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for an eighth straight month, as government fuel subsidies helped offset price pressures from higher oil costs linked to the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, the index excluding the effects of volatile fresh food and fuel, which the Bank of Japan closely watches as a better gauge of demand-driven price movements, stood at 1.9% year-on-year in August, remaining at its fastest increase in three months. The BoJ left interest rates at 1.0% at its July meeting, keeping them at their highest level since September 1995, after a 25-bps hike in June. The release came hours before the BoJ’s meeting today, with the market expecting rates to rise to 1.25%. source: Statistics Bureau of Japan

Core consumer prices in Japan increased 1.70 percent in August of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Core Inflation Rate in Japan averaged 2.40 percent from 1971 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 24.70 percent in October of 1974 and a record low of -2.40 percent in August of 2009. This page provides - Japan Core Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Japan Core Inflation Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on September of 2026.

Core consumer prices in Japan increased 1.70 percent in August of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Core Inflation Rate in Japan is expected to be 1.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Core Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 2.00 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-08-20 11:30 PM
Core Inflation Rate YoY
Jul 1.8% 1.6% 1.8% 1.7%
2026-09-17 11:30 PM
Core Inflation Rate YoY
Aug 1.7% 1.8% 1.8% 1.8%
2026-10-22 11:30 PM
Core Inflation Rate YoY
Sep 1.7% 1.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Consumer Price Index CPI 102.20 102.00 points Aug 2026
Core Consumer Prices 102.00 102.10 points Aug 2026
Core Inflation Rate YoY 1.70 1.80 percent Aug 2026
CPI Clothes and Footwear 100.10 100.50 points Aug 2026
Inflation Rate Ex-Food and Energy YoY 1.90 1.90 percent Aug 2026
CPI Education 95.40 95.40 points Aug 2026
CPI Food 103.80 103.10 points Aug 2026
CPI Housing Utilities 101.20 101.00 points Aug 2026
CPI Recreation and Culture 103.70 102.00 points Aug 2026
CPI Transportation and Communication 103.10 102.90 points Aug 2026
Inflation Rate YoY 1.90 1.90 percent Aug 2026
Inflation Rate MoM 0.10 0.40 percent Aug 2026
Tokyo Core CPI YoY 1.80 1.70 percent Aug 2026
Tokyo CPI YoY 1.90 1.80 percent Aug 2026
Tokyo CPI Ex Food and Energy YoY 2.00 1.80 percent Aug 2026


Japan Core Inflation Rate
In Japan, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes prices of fresh food.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
1.70 1.80 24.70 -2.40 1971 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Core Inflation Eases, Below Forecasts
Japan’s core consumer price index, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, increased 1.7% yoy in August 2026, after a 1.8% rise in July. The latest reading slowed from the highest rate in six months, touched a month earlier, and was below the market forecast of 1.8%. Still, the latest reading remained below the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for an eighth straight month, as government fuel subsidies helped offset price pressures from higher oil costs linked to the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, the index excluding the effects of volatile fresh food and fuel, which the Bank of Japan closely watches as a better gauge of demand-driven price movements, stood at 1.9% year-on-year in August, remaining at its fastest increase in three months. The BoJ left interest rates at 1.0% at its July meeting, keeping them at their highest level since September 1995, after a 25-bps hike in June. The release came hours before the BoJ’s meeting today, with the market expecting rates to rise to 1.25%.
2026-09-17
Japan Core Inflation Rate Hits 6-Month High
Japan’s core consumer price index, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, increased 1.8% year-on-year in July 2026, following a 1.6% rise in June. It was the highest core inflation rate since January, in line with market forecasts. Still, the latest reading remained below the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for a seventh straight month, as government fuel subsidies helped offset price pressures from higher oil costs linked to the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, the index excluding the effects of volatile fresh food and fuel, which the Bank of Japan closely watches as a better gauge of demand-driven price movements, climbed 1.9% year-on-year in July, marking the fastest increase in three months after posting the softest increase since August 2022 at 1.7% in June. The BoJ left interest rates at 1.0% at its July meeting, remaining at their highest level since September 1995, following a 25-bps hike in June to prevent higher oil prices from fueling inflation.
2026-08-20
Japan Core Inflation Matches Estimates
Japan’s core consumer price index, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, increased 1.6% year-on-year in June 2026, following a 1.4% rise in May, which was the lowest level since March 2022. It was the highest core inflation rate since March and was in line with market forecasts of 1.6%. Still, the latest reading remained below the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for a fifth straight month, as government fuel subsidies helped offset price pressures from higher oil costs linked to the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, the index excluding the effects of volatile fresh food and fuel, which is closely watched by the Bank of Japan as a better gauge of demand-driven price movements, rose 1.7% year-on-year in June, marking the softest increase since August 2022. The BoJ raised interest rates by 25 bps to their highest level since September 1995 at its June meeting, marking the first rate hike since last December, to prevent higher oil prices from fueling inflation.
2026-07-23