Core consumer inflation wallowed at a two-year low in July, government data showed Friday, increasing pressure for the central bank to acknowledge price momentum has been slowing and expand its radical stimulus program.
Japan's underlying inflation rate was unchanged for the month, at 0.6 percent, still far short of the Bank of Japan's goal of 2 percent.
The year-on-year gain in the nationwide core consumer price index, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, reflected higher utility costs, but falling mobile phone fees and gasoline prices weighed on the inflation rate, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.