日本四月消費者物価指数上昇３．２％

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

消費者物価指数 ３．２％上昇

5月30日 9時33分

消費税率が引き上げられた先月の全国の消費者物価指数は、増税の影響で税込み価格が上昇したことから、生鮮食品を除いた指数が前の年の同じ月を３．２％上回り、上昇率は平成３年２月以来およそ２３年ぶりの高い水準となりました。

総務省の発表によりますと、物やサービスの値動きを示す先月の全国の消費者物価指数は、天候による変動の大きい生鮮食品を除いた平成２２年を１００とした指数で、１０３．０となり、前の年の同じ月を３．２％上回って１１か月連続の上昇となりました。
これは、先月１日に消費税率が５％から８％に引き上げられた結果、税込み価格が上昇したことなどによるもので、上昇率は、平成３年２月以来、２３年２か月ぶりの高い水準となりました。
日銀によりますと、今回の増税だけで先月の全国の消費者物価指数が１．７％程度押し上げられると試算していることから、これを当てはめた場合、増税分を除く先月の物価の上昇率は、１．５％程度と見られます。
一方、今月の東京都区部の消費者物価指数の速報値は、生鮮食品を除いた指数が前の年の同じ月を２．８％上回って、１３か月連続の上昇となりました。

(試譯文)

With a tax increase last month (April), the consumer price index for the whole country was under its influence, tax-included price was pulled up. The same index excluding the perishable food had increase 3.2% compared with the same month the previous year, it was a height for the first time in about 23 years since February Heisei 3^rd year.

According to the announcement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications the consumer price index for the whole country - an index set at 100 in Heisei 22^nd year to show price movements of services and commodities excluding large perishable food that may change due to the weather, last month was 103.0, exceeding the same month of the previous year by 3.2% and becoming a continuous rise for 11 months.

This was a result of the consumption tax rate increase from 5% to 8% on the 1st of the last month. Because the tax-included price rose, the rate of increase reached a new high for the first time in 23 years and two months since February of Heisei 3^rd year.

According to a trial calculation made by the Bank of Japan the consumer price index for the whole country last month was pushed up by about 1.7% partly because of the tax increase. Applying this, the rate of the price increase except for the part due to the tax last month would be at about 1.5%.

On the other hand, the preliminary figures of the consumer price index in the Tokyo district this month, except for the perishable food, had exceeded the same month of the previous year by 2.8%, being a continuous rise for 13 months.

An inflation of around 3% is lower than many places in Southeast Asia such as China and Hong Kong.