MNI 5 THINGS: Japan Jan Core CPI Up, Energy Costs Ease

--Japan Jan Core CPI +0.8% Y/Y; MNI Median +0.8%; Dec +0.7% 

--Japan Jan Core-Core CPI +0.4% Y/Y; Dec +0.3% 

--Japan Jan CPI Energy Costs +4.9% Y/Y; Dec +6.0% 

--Japan Jan CPI Food Ex-Perishables +0.6% Y/Y; Dec +0.7% 

--Japan Jan CPI Household Durable Goods 0.2% Y/Y; Dec +0.5% 

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's January annual core consumer inflation rate climbed

up to an annual 0.8%, up from December's 0.7%, with prices for catering and

accommodation picking up as energy costs fell, 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 0.8% on year in January, the 25th straight year-on-year rise, and in line

with the MNI survey of analysts median forecast.

     - Overall CPI decelerated for a fourth straight month at 0.2% on year in

January, compared with last month's 0.3% growth. The slide was led by lower

energy costs, which reported an annualized 4.9% gain (+6.0% in December). 

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

fresh food and energy) rose 0.4% on year in January, up from 0.3% reported in

December, the 19th consecutive year-on-year rise.

     -- Prices for accommodation rose sharply in January to 5.8% from the 2.0%

in December. Prices for automobiles insurance also made another good

contribution to support CPI -- rising 2.3% from December's 0.6% drop. 

     -- Prices for household durable goods rose 0.2% in January, slower than the

0.5% gain seen in the previous month. Prices for Food Ex-Perishables slipped as

well to 0.6% in January from 0.7% in December.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; tel: +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: flora.guo@marketnews.com

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

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