TOKYO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan's core consumer prices, excluding volatile fresh food, rose 1.8 percent in March from a year earlier, as surging crude oil prices amid the Middle East conflict drove up certain energy costs, government data showed Friday.
The pace of increase accelerated for the first time in five months, outpacing February's 1.6 percent rise. The pickup was partly driven by higher kerosene prices, which climbed 6.3 percent in March after a 3.5 percent drop in February, as the Middle East conflict pushed crude oil prices higher, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Energy costs in general fell 5.7 percent in March after a 9.1 percent drop in February, with gasoline falling 5.4 percent year on year compared with a 14.9 percent decline the previous month.
The expiry of the provisional gasoline tax on Dec. 31, along with a government subsidy program, helped partially offset rising fuel costs. ■
