Japan consumer prices in 9th straight rise

Tokyo

CONSUMER prices in Japan maintained their upward trend in February for a ninth consecutive month, buoying hopes that the world's third-largest economy is defying 15 years of deflation, though price increases were driven partly by a rush to buy goods in anticipation of a rise in consumption tax.

Data released yesterday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that core consumer prices (excluding volatile food prices) rose 1.3 per cent in February from a year earlier, the same rate as in January.