Japan inflation accelerates on rising material and energy costs

CPI hits 0.8% in March, but 2.2% when impact of cut in mobile fees excluded

A supermarket in Tokyo. As a number of factors conspire to push Japan's consumer prices higher, wage hikes have been slow. © Reuters

KENTARO IWAMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

April 22, 2022 08:41 JST

Updated on April 22, 2022 09:44 JST

TOKYO -- Inflation in Japan is continuing to accelerate, hitting a 26-month high as more businesses pass on rising raw material and energy costs to consumers.

According to official data released on Friday, Japan's core consumer price index -- all items less fresh foods -- rose 0.8% in March from a year earlier, marking the sharpest rise since Jan. 2020. January's inflation rate was 0.2%, and February's was 0.6%.