As for price indexes, domestic corporate goods prices registered the largest increase on a year-onyear basis since March 1990, mainly reflecting the rise in international commodity prices and the depreciation of the yen in the second half of 2005, and are expected to continue increasing.
The yearon-year rate of change in consumer prices (excluding fresh food, on a nationwide basis) had been slightly negative, but posted a slight increase for two consecutive months in November and December 2005. The year-on-year rate of change is likely to record a relatively clear increase in January 2006 and thereafter as the effects from the reduction in telephone charges dissipate.