Core inflation in Japan's capital slowed for a second month in April to fall below the central bank's 2 per cent target, data showed on Friday, complicating its decision on how soon to raise interest rates. The reading comes just hours ahead of the conclusion of the Bank of Japan's two-day policy meeting, where the board is set to keep interest rates steady and produce fresh quarterly inflation projections through early 2027. The core consumer price index (CPI) in Tokyo, a leading indicator of nationwide figures, increased 1.6 per cent in April from a year earlier, slowing from a 2.4 per cent gain in March. It ... (full story)