ReturnJapan's core consumer prices in April rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier, government data showed Friday.
The increase in the nationwide core consumer price index (CPI), excluding volatile fresh food, accelerated from the 3.2 percent gain in March, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed.
The inflation rate, a key indicator for the Bank of Japan in determining the timing of rate hikes, has remained at or above the central bank's 2 percent price target since April 2022.
The core-core CPI, which strips away the effects of both fresh food and fuel costs to reflect underlying price trends, was up 3.0 percent in April from a year earlier, the ministry said.
Energy prices increased 9.3 percent, accelerating from a 6.6 percent rise in March. The government cut utility bill subsidies in the reporting month after reinstating subsidies for electricity and city gas consumed between January and March as rising prices are taking a toll on households.
Prices for food, excluding fresh items, gained 7.0 percent, while those for household durable goods rose 6.4 percent.
