Core Viewpoint - The inflation data for June shows a divergence between CPI and PPI, with CPI rising slightly while PPI continues to decline, indicating a mixed economic environment influenced by various commodity prices [2][8][69]. Group 1: Divergence in Commodity Prices - In June, PPI fell by 0.3 percentage points to -3.6% year-on-year, primarily due to declining prices of upstream commodities like coal and steel, while CPI increased by 0.1% year-on-year, supported by rising food prices and platinum [2][9][69]. - The decline in PPI was driven by oversupply in sectors such as steel, cement, and coal, which contributed to a 0.4% month-on-month decrease, while international oil prices provided some support to PPI, contributing positively from oil and copper prices [2][9][69]. Group 2: Core Commodity PPI and CPI Trends - Core commodity PPI remains at historical lows, reflecting the impact of tariffs and low capacity utilization in domestic downstream industries, with a slight recovery of 0.4 percentage points to -1% year-on-year [3][21][70]. - In contrast, core commodity CPI increased by 0.3 percentage points to 0.6% year-on-year, driven by consumer stimulus policies that have bolstered domestic demand, particularly in durable goods and household items [3][27][70]. Group 3: Service CPI Performance - Service CPI remained stable at 0.5% year-on-year, with core service CPI also holding steady at 0.8%, while rental prices showed weakness, with a month-on-month increase of only 0.1% [4][30][61]. - The overall demand for services has remained stable, but the rental component, which is a significant part of the service CPI, has not performed as well compared to previous years [4][30][61]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The combination of policy measures and recovery in domestic demand is expected to alleviate inflationary pressures, but significant downward pressure on commodity prices is anticipated in the second half of the year, with PPI expected to underperform CPI [4][35][70]. - Factors such as tariff disturbances, low global oil inventories, and weakened investment in real estate and manufacturing are likely to constrain commodity prices, while low capacity utilization in downstream sectors will continue to suppress PPI recovery [4][35][70].

Core Viewpoint - The inflation data for June shows a divergence between CPI and PPI, with CPI rising slightly while PPI continues to decline, indicating mixed performance in commodity, core goods, and service prices [2][8][69]. Group 1: Divergence in Commodity Prices - In June, PPI fell by 0.3 percentage points to -3.6% year-on-year, primarily due to falling prices of upstream commodities like coal and steel, while CPI saw a slight increase of 0.1% year-on-year, driven by extreme weather affecting food supply [2][9][69]. - The decline in PPI was influenced by sufficient supply in steel, cement, and coal, which contributed to a 0.4% month-on-month drop, while rising international oil prices provided some support to PPI [2][9][69]. - CPI's increase was supported by a 12.6% rise in platinum jewelry prices, contributing to a 0.8 percentage point increase in the CPI for other goods and services [2][9][69]. Group 2: Core Goods Price Trends - Core goods PPI remains at historical lows, reflecting the impact of tariffs and low capacity utilization in domestic downstream industries, with a slight recovery of 0.4 percentage points to -1% year-on-year [3][21][70]. - The pressure on prices in high-export industries, such as computer communications and electrical machinery, continues, with respective declines of 0.4% and 0.2% [3][21][70]. - Conversely, core goods CPI increased by 0.3 percentage points to 0.6% year-on-year, driven by consumer stimulus policies, with notable price increases in durable goods and household textiles [3][21][70]. Group 3: Service Price Dynamics - Service CPI remained stable at 0.5% year-on-year, with core service CPI also holding steady at 0.8% [4][30][61]. - The virtual rent CPI, which is a significant component of service CPI, showed weakness, with a month-on-month increase of only 0.1%, below the historical average [4][30][61]. - The overall stability in service demand contrasts with the weaker performance of rent prices, indicating ongoing challenges in the housing market [4][30][61]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The combination of policy measures and recovery in domestic demand is expected to alleviate inflationary pressures, although significant downward pressure on commodity prices is anticipated in the second half of the year [4][35][70]. - Factors such as tariff disturbances, low global oil supply, and weakened investment in real estate and manufacturing are likely to constrain commodity prices further [4][35][70]. - The low capacity utilization in downstream sectors, particularly in private enterprises, is expected to hinder PPI recovery, with projections indicating continued weakness in PPI compared to CPI [4][35][70].

Economic Overview - In May, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) experienced a slight year-on-year decline of 0.1% and a month-on-month decrease of 0.2%, indicating stable economic performance despite the drop [1][2] - The decline in CPI was primarily influenced by international input factors and falling food prices, with energy prices being a significant contributor [1][2] Energy Prices - International energy prices decreased, leading to a reduction in domestic prices for gasoline and related consumer goods. The energy prices in the CPI fell by 1.7% month-on-month, contributing approximately 0.13 percentage points to the overall CPI decline [1] - Year-on-year, energy prices dropped by 6.1%, impacting the CPI by about 0.47 percentage points [1] Food Prices - The availability of fresh food items, such as vegetables and poultry, increased, resulting in a decline in food prices. Month-on-month, food prices fell by 0.2%, contributing around 0.04 percentage points to the CPI decrease [2] - Year-on-year, food prices decreased by 0.4%, with a more significant decline compared to the previous month [2] Core CPI and Industrial Prices - The core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose by 0.6% year-on-year, reflecting a gradual strengthening of domestic demand [2][3] - Prices of industrial consumer goods, excluding energy, also increased by 0.6% year-on-year, with notable price rises in entertainment durable goods like mobile phones and computers, which saw a 1.8% increase [2] Service Prices - Service prices increased by 0.5% year-on-year, driven by holiday demand and a rise in educational and cultural services. Notable increases included airfare and tourism prices, which rose by 1.2% and 0.9%, respectively [3] - Prices for household and educational services also saw increases of 1.7% and 1.2% [3] Policy Implications - The current price situation requires a comprehensive perspective, recognizing the positive effects of policies aimed at expanding domestic demand and promoting reasonable price recovery [3] - Future strategies should focus on balancing domestic demand expansion with supply-side structural reforms to improve market price order and enhance supply-demand relationships [3]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that Japan's household spending is weak, leading to a potential delay in interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan [1] - Household spending in April decreased by 0.1% compared to the same month last year, while inflation-adjusted wages fell by 1.8% [1] - Analysts suggest that even if wages continue to rise, households may take time to rebuild their savings due to the current economic conditions [1] Group 2 - The Bank of Japan is closely monitoring service prices, which are currently low, influencing their decision on interest rate adjustments [1] - There is a possibility that the Bank of Japan may postpone interest rate hikes for a year or longer due to the weak spending and savings trends [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuo Ueda, anticipates that real wage growth will support consumer spending, although the impact of wage increases on service prices has not been significant yet [1] Group 1: Wage Growth and Consumer Spending - Real wage growth is expected to bolster consumer spending [1] - The chain reaction of wage increases on service prices has not been substantial [1] Group 2: Tariffs and Economic Impact - It is currently difficult to determine whether tariffs will affect the neutral interest rate level [1] - Tariffs have a negative impact on resource allocation efficiency [1]