According to rttnews, consumer prices in Japan were down 0.4 percent on year in July, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday - in line with expectations and unchanged from June's annual reading.

Core CPI, which excludes volatile food costs, slid 0.5 percent on year - missing forecasts for -0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.

On a monthly basis, overall inflation and core CPI both dipped 0.2 percent.

Overall inflation in Tokyo, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend, slipped 0.5 percent on year in August. That missed expectations for 0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.

Core CPI in August was down an annual 0.4 percent - matching expectations and the same as in the previous month.