Tokyo Core Consumer Prices Up 2.4 Pct in March

   Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)--The core consumer price index for Tokyo's densely populated 23 special wards in March rose 2.4 pct from a year before amid continued food price increases, government data showed Friday.
   The index, which excludes often volatile fresh food prices, stood at 109.1 against the 2020 base of 100, the internal affairs ministry said.
   The index advanced for 43 months in a row and posted bigger growth for the first time two months.
   Growth in prices for food excluding perishables expanded to 5.6 pct from 5.0 pct in February.
   Rice prices surged 89.6 pct from a year earlier, logging a record increase for the sixth straight month. The government has started releasing stockpiled rice to push down rice prices, but full-scale sales of the released rice are expected to start in April or later.

(2025/03/28-12:37)