Japan's Consumer Inflation Rises to 2.7 Pct in Nov.

   Tokyo, Dec. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan's consumer inflation picked up for the first time in three months in November on the back of rising utility fees and rice prices, the internal affairs ministry said Friday.
   The core consumer price index, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, rose 2.7 pct in November from a year before to 109.2 against the 2020 base of 100, following a 2.3 pct rise in October, growing for the 39th consecutive month.
   Electricity prices climbed 9.9 pct, bigger than a 4.0 pct increase in October, while city gas bills were up 6.4 pct against the previous month's 1.8 pct rise. The increases came as the Japanese government reduced subsidies.
   Prices for food excluding fresh food rose 4.2 pct. Rice prices surged 63.6 pct, the biggest-ever increase since comparable data became available in 1971, because of higher production costs.
   Higher rice prices led to a 7.2 pct rise in prices for "onigiri" rice balls and a 4.3 pct climb in sushi prices.

(2024/12/20-10:57)