Japan inflation picks up for first time in 4 months

TOKYO, Nov 24 (NHK) - Japan's latest inflation figures show prices rose on a broad front in October. The month marked the first time in four months for inflation to accelerate.

The internal affairs ministry says the consumer price index, excluding fresh food, rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier. The rate peaked in January at 4.2 percent.

The government has been trying to fight rising inflation by subsidizing electricity and city gas charges for households. But it halved the assistance last month.

Consumers still had to pay more for their groceries.

The food index jumped by 7.6 percent.

Fresh items are excluded from the tally because they vary widely in price based on the weather.

The cost of accommodation rose more than 40 percent on a recovery in tourism demand. The number of foreign tourists continued to rise on the back of a weaker yen.

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