Japan’s Inflation Slows on Subsidy Effect Ahead of BOJ Decision

Japan’s inflation slowed for the first time in four months on the impact of government subsidies, in a report that nevertheless highlighted the underlying strength of price pressure hours before the central bank decides policy.

Consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 2.4% in December from a year earlier, with the pace decelerating from 3% in November, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported Friday. That matched the median estimate from economists.