Japan's core consumer prices increase 0.7 pct on year in Feb.

TOKYO, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan's core consumer prices increased in February from a year earlier, the government said in a report on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, prices rose 0.7 percent in February from a year earlier, with the pace of the increase in the nationwide consumer price index, excluding fresh food prices because of their volatility, following a 0.8 percent increase in January.

The statistics bureau's data also showed that prices had risen for the 26th consecutive month in the recording period, but still remain well below the Bank of Japan's lofty 2 percent inflation target.