Consumer prices in Japan were up 0.3 percent on year in December, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said, cited by rttnews.

That topped expectations for 0.2 percent but was down from 0.5 percent in November.

Core consumer prices, which exclude food, sank an annual 0.2 percent. That also beat forecasts for a decline of 0.3 percent following the 0.4 percent contraction a month earlier.

Overall inflation for the Tokyo region, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend, added 0.1 percent on year in January versus expectations for a flat reading - which would have been unchanged.