MNI 5 THINGS: Japan Aug CPI Accelerates On Accommodation Costs

--Japan Aug Core CPI +0.9% Y/Y; MNI Median +0.9%; July +0.8% 

--Japan Aug Core-Core CPI +0.4% Y/Y; July +0.3% 

--Japan Aug CPI Energy Costs +7.4% Y/Y; July +7.3% 

--Japan Aug CPI Food Ex-Perishables +0.9% Y/Y; July +0.8% 

--Japan Aug CPI Household Durable Goods -2.5% Y/Y; July -2.1% 

--Japan Aug CPI Overseas Holiday Tours +3.9% Y/Y; July +4.0%

--Japan Aug Accommodations +10.2% Y/Y; July +1.9%

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's consumer inflation rate accelerated in August from

the previous month, with the gain mainly led by higher accommodation costs, data

from the Ministry of International Affairs and Communication released Friday

showed.

     The key points from the latest CPI data:

     -- The national average core consumer price index (excluding fresh food)

rose 0.9% on year in August, recording the 20th straight year-on-year rise, with

the pace of increase accelerated from +0.8% in July.

     - Overall CPI rose 1.3% on year in August, picking up from the 0.9% rise in

July in the wake of higher perishable foods and utility charges.

     -- The underlying inflation rate measured by the core-core CPI (excluding

fresh food and energy) rose 0.4% on year in August, accelerating from +0.3% in

July and +0.2% in June. It was the 14th consecutive year-on-year rise.

     -- The CPI was weighed down by mobile communications (-3.7% on year in

August vs -6.7% in July.

     --On the upside, prices for accommodations rose 10.2% on year in August,

accelerating from +1.9% in July.

     -- Prices for overseas holiday tours rose 3.9% in August, with the pace of

year-on-year increase decelerating from +4.0% in July. The prices for household

durable goods were down 2.5% on year in August after -2.1% in the previous

month.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MAJDS$,MAUDR$,MAUDS$,M$A$$$,M$J$$$,M$U$$$]