Japanese consumer prices rose less than expected in December.
Japan's core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food prices, rose 0.1 per cent in December from a year earlier, government data showed today, less than economists' consensus forecast for a 0.2 per cent rise.
Core CPI in the Tokyo area, which is announced a month before nationwide figures, rose 0.2 per cent in January from a year ago, matching the consensus forecast.
The figures added to doubts about the Bank of Japan's ability to raise interest rates next month and sending the yen lower and bond futures to a one-month high.
The yen slipped to 121.58 yen per dollar from 121.45 yen just before the data, while Japanese government bond futures were up 0.23 point at 134.93, rising above 134.86 for the first time since late December.