Japan CPI core (ex-fresh food) slowed to 0.6% yoy in June, down from 0.8% yoy and matched expectations. All items CPI was unchanged at 0.7% yoy, while CPI core-core (ex-fresh food and energy) was also unchanged at 0.5% yoy.
CPI core was the lowest reading since July 2017. No turnaround is expected in the near term. Instead, CPI core could be further dragged down by policy related factors, including mobile phone charges and education costs.
The dim inflation outlook highlights the pressure for BoJ to ramp up monetary stimulus. In particular, both Fed and ECB are expected to loosen up policy again later this week.
