Year-on-year, food prices went up 3.6 percent, following a 2.3 percent increase in October. It is the biggest rise since March 2015, boosted by an 21.6 percent jump in fresh food cost, namely a 37.3 percent rise in fresh vegetables and a 12.7 percent increase in fresh fruit. Inflation eased for recreation and culture (0.8 percent compared to 1 percent in October); medical care (0.9 percent from 1 percent) and clothing and footwear (1 percent from 1.2 percent in October).
In addition, prices declined at a slower pace for fuel, light and water charges (-5.8 percent compared to -6 percent in October) and transportation and communication (-1.5 percent compared to -1.7 percent in October) but fell at the same pace for housing (-0.2 percent).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices were flat, following a 0.6 percent gain in October.
In Tokyo, consumer prices remained unchanged, following a 0.5 percent gain in November. Core consumer prices, which exclude fresh food, declined 0.6 percent from a year earlier, following a 0.4 percent drop in a month earlier and worse than market estimates of 0.4 percent drop.