Japan's consumer prices fell for the fifth straight year in 2003, led by declines in prices for housing, laptop computers and durable home appliances, the government said Friday.
The consumer price index, excluding prices of perishable foods, dropped 0.4 percent to 97.5 in 2003 against the base of 100 for 2000, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said in a preliminary report.
The reading was an improvement from a 0.9 percent slide in 2002 and 1.2 percent fall in 2001, but still underscored the government's view that deflation continues in the world's second-largest economy.