Japan Still ‘Half Way’ to Sustainable Inflation: PM Takaichi

Japan's annual inflation rate held at 1.9% in August 2026, unchanged from the previous month and remaining at its highest level since December 2025. Prices continued to rise across food (3.1% vs 3.5% in July), transport (2.3% vs 2.6%), housing (1.0% vs 1.0%), household goods (4.9% vs 3.7%), clothing (1.5% vs 1.2%), healthcare (3.0% vs 2.1%), recreation (2.2% vs 1.9%), and miscellaneous items (0.7% vs 0.4%). Meanwhile, gas prices accelerated (2.0% vs 1.8%), while electricity prices fell at a steeper pace (-2.4% vs -0.1%) amid government energy subsidies. At the same time, education remained in deflation since early 2024 (-3.8% vs -3.8%). Core inflation, which excludes fresh food, eased to 1.7% from 1.8% in July, marking the first slowdown in four months while staying below the Bank of Japan's 2% target for a seventh consecutive month. On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged up 0.1%, much slower than an upwardly revised 0.5% increase in July.

Japan's annual inflation rate accelerated to 1.9% in July 2026 from a marginally revised 1.6% in the previous month, marking the highest reading since December 2025. The pickup was partly driven by a slower decline in electricity prices as government energy subsidies were scaled back. At the same time, additional upward pressure came from food (3.5% vs 3.2% in June), transport (2.6% vs 2.5%), household goods (3.7% vs 2.3%), healthcare (2.1% vs 1.6%), recreation (1.9% vs 1.4%), and miscellaneous items (0.4% vs 0.4%). In the meantime, housing inflation was steady (at 1.0%), while clothing prices rose at a slower rate (1.2% vs 1.4%). Education remained in deflation (-3.8% vs -3.8%). Core inflation, which excludes fresh food, rose to 1.8% from June's 1.6%, matching market expectations and reaching its highest level since March, though it remained below the Bank of Japan's 2% target for a sixth consecutive month.

Japan's annual inflation rate accelerated to 1.7% in June 2026 from 1.5% in the prior month, marking the highest reading since December. The pickup was largely driven by a slower decline in electricity and gas prices as government energy subsidies were scaled back. Price pressures also strengthened for transport (2.4% vs 1.9% in May), housing (1.0% vs 0.9%), household goods (2.4% vs 2.2%), healthcare (1.3% vs flat reading), and miscellaneous items (0.3% vs 0.2%), while clothing inflation held steady (at 1.7%). Recreation inflation eased (1.5% vs 1.7%), while education stayed in deflation (-6.0% vs -6.1%). On the food side, prices increased 3.2% yoy, slowing from 3.5% in May to the weakest pace since July 2024, as rice prices fell for the second month running. Core inflation, which excludes fresh food, rose to 1.6% from 1.4%, matching market consensus and reaching its highest since March. However, core inflation remained below the Bank of Japan's 2% target for a fifth straight month.