Japan inflation slows as oil price falls, keeps BoJ under pressure

A bag shop sales clerk entices shoppers in Tokyo. The core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food but includes oil products, rose 2.7% in November from a year earlier, but stripping out the effects of a sales tax hike in April, core consumer inflation was 0.7%, slowing from 0.9% in October and far below the Bank of Japan's 2% target - AFP Photo.

TOKYO: Japanese annual core consumer inflation slowed for a fourth straight month in November due largely to sliding oil prices, highlighting the challenges the central bank faces in achieving its 2% inflation target.

Factory output unexpectedly fell and household spending remained weak, separate data showed, suggesting that any rebound in the economy from recession will be mild and fragile.