Consumer prices in Tokyo increased 0.1 percent in May from a year earlier for the first upturn in more than four years, due to rising energy and television prices, the government said Friday, suggesting the nation could climb out of deflation in the coming months.
The national core consumer price index, excluding fresh foods, fell 0.4 percent in April from a year earlier for the sixth straight months of decline, due partly to a continued drop in durable goods prices, showing the economy is still affected by deflation. The decline was smaller than a 0.5 percent drop in April.
The nationwide core CPI stood at 99.8 against the 2010 base of 100, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said. The core CPI for Tokyo's 23 wards, an indicator of nationwide price movement, increased to 99.2 in May, rising for the first time since March 2009.