日本七月核心通胀同比增3.1%，远高于央行2%目标

Core Insights - Japan's inflation remains stubbornly high, with July's core CPI rising 3.1% year-on-year, above market expectations and the Bank of Japan's 2% target [1][3] - The core inflation slowdown is attributed to a 0.3% decline in energy prices, marking the first drop since March 2024, but underlying inflation pressures persist [1][3] - The "core-core" CPI, excluding fresh food and energy, held steady at a 3.4% year-on-year increase, indicating persistent inflationary trends [1][3] Inflation Dynamics - Rice prices surged by 90.7% year-on-year in July, despite a decrease from June's 100.2% increase, causing widespread dissatisfaction among consumers [4][6] - The rise in rice prices has led to a chain reaction, with processed food prices increasing by 8.3%, the fastest rate since September 2023, while service prices remained stable at 1.5% [4][6] - Rising rents and soaring rice prices are contributing to increased costs in processed foods and dining out, putting political pressure on the government [6][7] Market Reactions - Following the inflation data release, Japanese government bond yields rose, and market expectations for a Bank of Japan rate hike by the end of October increased from approximately 42% to 51% [3][7] - Economists suggest that the window for a rate hike is approaching, supported by strong economic growth over five consecutive quarters [7] - The market anticipates that the Bank of Japan will maintain its current policy in September but is closely watching the October meeting for potential changes [7]