Japan core consumer prices in Feb. rise 1.6% on yr, lowest in nearly 4 yrs

Japan's core consumer prices in February rose 1.6 percent from a year earlier, climbing less than 2 percent for the first time in nearly four years, government data showed Tuesday, though higher crude oil prices amid the Iran war will add to upward pressure.The rise of the nationwide consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food, followed a 2.0 percent increase in January, largely reflecting the government's subsidy program to curb electricity bills from January to March, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.The inflation rate fell below the Bank of Japan's…READ FULL ARTICLE