In this Oct. 1, 2021, file photo, people walk through the famed Kabukicho entertainment district of Tokyo on the first night of the government's lifting of a coronavirus state of emergency. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's core consumer prices rose 0.1 percent in September from a year ago, marking the first increase in 18 months, government data showed Friday.

       The gain in the nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food items, came amid rising energy costs, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

       Energy price gains were notable, with gasoline rising 16.5 percent and kerosene surging 20.2 percent, the ministry data showed. Accommodation fees jumped 43.1 percent.

       The CPI gain is rather modest when compared with the United States and some European nations where accelerating inflation has raised the prospect of their central banks reducing crisis-mode monetary support.

       Sharply lower mobile communication fees have been a big drag on the core CPI as major Japanese carriers started offering cheap plans this spring in the face of mounting government pressure to do so.

       The Bank of Japan is not in a hurry to start reducing stimulus as its elusive 2 percent inflation target is still way off.

       Economists say companies are reluctant to pass higher costs to consumers for fear of hurting demand.

       Still, consumers are beginning to feel the impact of higher crude oil and raw material prices, with the yen's weakness inflating prices of imported goods.

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