Japan core consumer prices rise 3.1% in February

Core consumer prices in Japan gained 3.1 percent in February from a year earlier, remaining above the Bank of Japan’s 2 percent target for the 11th straight month, government data showed Friday.

The core consumer price index excluding volatile fresh food items, a key gauge of inflation monitored by the BOJ, rose for the 18th straight month, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. It followed a 4.2 percent gain in January.