Moreover, with the prolonged impact of COVID-19, attention should be paid to (1) structural changes in the consumption behavior of individuals, as seen in the expansion in e-commerce, (2) supply-side constraints caused mainly by the downsizing of existing businesses, and (3) workforce disparities across industries and firm size. 4  II. Price Developments A.
Current Situation and Outlook Next, I would like to talk about price developments in Japan. The year-on-year rate of change in the consumer price index (CPI) for all items less fresh food, despite being affected by the reduction in mobile phone charges, has been slightly positive, reflecting price rises of energy and other items.