Japan’s annual core inflation rate accelerated in May, with the consumer price index, excluding fresh food, coming in at 2.5 percent.
That’s up 0.3 points from April and the quickest gain in two months.
The core CPI has now ranged between 2 to 3 percent for nine straight months.
Electricity prices were a key driver in the May inflation number. They rose more than 14 percent year-on-year for the first increase in 16 months.
The jump came as the government increased a tariff on electricity bills to support use of renewable energy.
Food price inflation in May, excluding perishables, came in at 3.2 percent, continuing a slowing price trend for the ninth straight month.