Japan's core inflation hits more than 2-year high, could force year-end BOJ hike
The data underscores the Bank of Japan's predicament of balancing price pressures from persistent food inflation against growth headwinds from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes fresh food but includes oil prices, rose 3.5% in April from a year earlier, exceeding market forecasts for a 3.4% gain and accelerating from a 3.2% increase in March. "Underlying inflation remained strong in April despite the slashing of public high school fees," said Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia-Pacific at Capital Economics.
