Japan's core consumer prices rose 0.7 percent in December from a year earlier, far below the Bank of Japan's 2 percent inflation target, government data showed Friday.

The nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food items, increased for the 36th straight month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said. It rose 0.5 percent in November.

For the whole of 2019, core consumer prices climbed an average 0.6 percent, making the third consecutive year of growth.

==Kyodo

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