Japan's Consumer Price Index (CPI) likely hit an 18-month low in December, further reinforcing the steady stance of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) on its monetary policy, according to a recent poll conducted by Reuters. The anticipated decline in inflation aligns with a broader trend of subdued price growth in the country, which continues to pose challenges to policymakers.
Economists predict that Japan's CPI, which measures the average price change of goods and services purchased by households, likely fell by 0.6% in December from a year earlier. This would mark the largest decline since May 2019. The projected drop is attributed to the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer spending and demand.
