Japan's government has announced that the nationwide Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 1.5% year-on-year in January. According to RTHK, the core CPI, which excludes fresh food but includes energy costs, rose by 2% annually, aligning with market expectations. This marks a slowdown from the 2.4% increase observed in December, representing the slowest growth rate in two years. Additionally, the CPI excluding both food and energy rose by 2.6% year-on-year, marking the smallest increase in nearly a year.