According to rttnews, overall consumer prices in Japan were down 0.5 percent on year in August, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.

That matched expectations following the 0.4 percent decline in July.

Core CPI, which excludes food prices, also was down 0.5 percent - in line with expectations and unchanged from the previous month.

Overall inflation in the Tokyo region, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend, was down 0.5 percent on year in September - matching expectations and unchanged from the previous month.

Core CPI was also down 0.5 percent versus forecasts for -0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.