Experience has shown however that even with the best of intentions, with prevention policies and strict controls, road accidents occur and may be caused either by inappropriate behaviour or by external factors. Without appropriate safeguards, not only do those who drive recklessly may be injured, but also those who happen to be passing by.
This indicates a significant turnaround in firms’ pricing behavior toward an environment where they find it easier to raise their sales prices than before. The current rise in a wide range of CPI items reflects three factors: (a) an import price rise driven by the yen’s depreciation; (b) an increase in domestic demand; and (c) a pass-through of a wage rise.