Japan's annual inflation eases in February

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - The annual inflation rate in Japan eased to 3.3% in February, down from 4.3% in January, official figures showed on Friday.

The country's annual inflation, which was at minus 0.4% in August 2021, has been increasing consecutively since July 2022.

The highest price increases were seen in furniture and household utensils with 8.7%, food with 7.5%, and clothes and footwear with 3.6%, according to the Statistics Bureau of Japan.

Meanwhile, Japan's Chain Stores Association Thursday said sales in supermarkets in Japan fell in February for the first time in the last eight months.

The association said total sales in markets dropped 2% year-on-year in February.