Consumer prices in the Tokyo region of Japan - considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend - were up 2.5 percent on year in August, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.
That exceeded expectations for an increase of 2.3 percent and was up from 2.2 percent in July.
Core CPI, which excludes the volatile costs of food, was up an annual 2.4 percent. That topped forecasts for 2.2 percent, which would have been unchanged.