Tokyo core consumer prices up by 2.2 percent in July

TOKYO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Core consumer prices in Japan's capital rose 2.2 percent in July from a year earlier, climbing for the 35th consecutive month, government data showed Friday.

The core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food prices, stood at 107.4 for Tokyo's 23 densely populated wards, against the 2020 base of 100, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Energy prices drove the gains, with electricity and city gas bills rising 19.7 percent and 11.9 percent, respectively, following the end of government subsidies aimed at easing the burden on customers.

Meanwhile, prices of food excluding fresh items went up 2.6 percent.

Core-core CPI, which excludes both fresh food and energy costs, climbed 1.5 percent. ■