Inflation in Tokyo cooled below 2% for the first time in more than a year and a half, a sharper than forecast deceleration as the Bank of Japan mulls the strength of price growth and the timing of a widely expected interest hike. Tokyo consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 1.6% in January, compared with 2.1% growth in December, the ministry of internal affairs said Friday. The figure was the weakest since March 2022 as falls in energy costs deepened and gains in the prices of accommodation and processed food cooled. The result, the third consecutive month of easing, compared with a consensus estimate of 1.9%. ... (full story)