Japan’s consumer prices continued to climb in January, with inflation holding steady at elevated levels, raising concerns about persistent cost pressures. The National Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 4.0% year-over-year, signaling ongoing strain on household budgets. More notably, the core CPI, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, rose higher than analysts had anticipated, reinforcing expectations that inflationary pressures are not fading as quickly as policymakers had hoped. The latest data adds to speculation about the Bank of Japan’s future policy moves, as inflation remains well...