TOKYO — The pace of Japan’s consumer inflation slowed slightly in May due to declines in electricity prices.
Overall consumer prices rose 3.2% from a year earlier in May, compared with a 3.5% increase in April, government data showed Friday.
In a sign of growth in core inflation, consumer prices excluding volatile fresh food and energy increased 4.3%, faster than April’s 4.1%.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda has said the central bank would continue monetary easing because inflation is expected to slow further later this year. But he said last week that Japan’s inflation was easing more slowly than expected and uncertainty over the price outlook remained high.
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