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New farm minister Koizumi

TOKYO, Japan, May 23 Kyodo - Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi meets the press during a visit to a rice retail shop in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices. (Kyodo)

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Farm minister Koizumi

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks about the country's rice shortages and surging prices during a House of Councillors committee session in Tokyo on May 27, 2025.

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Farm minister Koizumi

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks about the country's rice shortages and surging prices during a House of Councillors committee session in Tokyo on May 27, 2025.

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (L) visits a rice retail shop in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices.

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (L) visits a rice retail shop in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices.

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (2nd from R) visits a rice retail shop in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices.

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi meets the press during a visit to a rice retail shop in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices.

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visits the rice section at a supermarket in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices. (Pool photo)

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New farm minister Koizumi

Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (2nd from R) visits the rice section at a supermarket in Tokyo on May 23, 2025, amid rice shortages and surging prices. (Pool photo)

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Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto meets the press at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, after offering his resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his comments on rice gifts. Eto said during a fundraising party earlier that he does not need to buy rice as his supporters give him plenty, angering consumers amid a rice shortage and surging prices.

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Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto meets the press at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, after offering his resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his comments on rice gifts. Eto said during a fundraising party earlier that he does not need to buy rice as his supporters give him plenty, angering consumers amid a rice shortage and surging prices.

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Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

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Japan farm minister meets media on rice comment

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. During a speech the previous day, Eto said he has not needed to buy rice because supporters give it to him, a remark expected to draw criticism from households hit by rice shortages and surging prices.

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Japan farm minister meets media on rice comment

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. During a speech the previous day, Eto said he has not needed to buy rice because supporters give it to him, a remark expected to draw criticism from households hit by rice shortages and surging prices.

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Gold prices surging in Japan

A board at the flagship store of Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies Co. in Tokyo's Ginza area shows retail prices of gold (upper L) topping 17,000 yen (about $120) per gram for the first time on April 22, 2025.

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Gold prices surging in Japan

A board at the flagship store of Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies Co. in Tokyo's Ginza area shows retail prices of gold topping 17,000 yen (about $120) per gram for the first time on April 22, 2025.

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Cabbage prices surging in Japan

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows cabbage on sale at a vegetable store in Tokyo. Consumer price data the government released the same day showed cabbage prices jumped threefold in January from a year earlier.

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Rice prices surging in Japan

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows bags of rice on sale at a vegetable store in Tokyo. Consumer price data the government released the same day showed rice prices surged over 70 percent in January from a year earlier.

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Mandarin prices surging in Japan

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows mandarins on sale at a vegetable store in Tokyo. Consumer price data the government released the same day showed the price of mandarins soared 37 percent in January from a year earlier.

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Surging restaurant prices in Türkiye make eating out a luxury

STORY: Surging restaurant prices in Türkiye make eating out a luxury SHOOTING TIME: April 29, 2024 DATELINE: April 30, 2024 LENGTH: 00:04:06 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people on the streets, at cafe and restaurants in Türkiye 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): YUNUS ATAMAN, Private company worker 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): YAZGI SECKIN, Student 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): DINCER KARADOGU, Cafe owner in Ankara STORYLINE: For Turks hit hard by runaway inflation in recent years, going to a cafe or a restaurant has become a luxury. With nearly 70 percent annual inflation, prices of all consumer goods in the country are regularly increasing at a pace that has rarely been seen before. Restaurants and eateries in general are no exception to the price hikes. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): YUNUS ATAMAN, Private company worker "I can't even imagine dining out anymore. Back in the day, my family and I would hit up a restaurant for a meal. Today, the same meal would cost me at least 2,500 liras (about 80

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Turks' "dessert after Iftar" tradition prevails despite rising prices

STORY: Turks' "dessert after Iftar" tradition prevails despite rising prices SHOOTING TIME: March 8, 2024 DATELINE: March 19, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:51 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Istanbul 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): NADIR GULLU, Owner of Karakoy Gulluoglu 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): NADIR GULLU, Owner of Karakoy Gulluoglu 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): NADIR GULLU, Owner of Karakoy Gulluoglu 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): GOKHAN GUNDOGDU, Store manager 6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): ZAFER YILMAZ, Local resident STORYLINE: In the production center of a dessert maker in Istanbul's Karakoy neighborhood, there was an extraordinary flurry of activity. Baklava trays were being loaded into the ovens one after the other while apprentices diligently poured syrup over the freshly baked delicacies. The impetus behind this sweet rush was to meet the surging demand from Turks, known for their sweet tooth since Ottoman times, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Established in 1843, Karakoy Gu

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Türkiye raises gasoline, diesel prices

STORY: Türkiye raises gasoline, diesel prices SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage DATELINE: March 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:23 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of transportation in Istanbul, Türkiye 2. various of gas station in Istanbul 3. various of local residents in Istanbul STORYLINE: Petrol and diesel prices in Türkiye increased by 3.76 and 2.69 percent, respectively, on Thursday. The prices of gasoline and diesel per liter were capped at 42.06 Turkish liras (1.31 U.S. dollars) and 41.86 liras, respectively, Turkish up-market newspaper Cumhuriyet Daily reported. According to the report, behind the new hike lies the surging price of Brent crude, which hit a four-month high above 85 dollars per barrel on Thursday. Oguz Demir, an economist and former academic at the Istanbul Commerce University, said on his social media account that "only in the first two and a half months of this year, the increase in gasoline prices (in Türkiye) has approached 22 percent." "At t

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U.S. California's surging gas prices spark call to suspend tax

STORY: U.S. California's surging gas prices spark call to suspend tax DATELINE: Oct. 2, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:10 LOCATION: SACRAMENTO, U.S. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of gas stations STORYLINE: The U.S. state of California is again witnessing gasoline prices soar to near record highs, sparking a call from the state's Republican lawmakers to suspend gas tax. The average price of gas in California hit over 6.00 U.S. dollars per gallon on Thursday, compared to 3.84 dollars for the nation, which jumped more than 8 percent over last month. California's average gasoline price on Thursday, 6.032 U.S. dollars per gallon, is up 75 cents from a month ago, according to data from the American Automobile Association. Xinhua found this week the price for a regular gallon at a gas station in Los Angeles County was 6.89 U.S. dollars, while supreme and diesel cost 7.19 U.S. dollars and 7.29 U.S. dollars, respectively. In a letter sent to California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, a group of Repu

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U.S.-CALIFORNIA-EL MONTE-GAS PRICES-SURGING

(230929) -- EL MONTE (U.S.), Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in El Monte, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on Sept. 28, 2023. The U.S. state of California is again witnessing gasoline prices soar to near record highs, sparking a call from the state's Republican lawmakers to suspend gas tax. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

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U.S.-CALIFORNIA-EL MONTE-GAS PRICES-SURGING

(230929) -- EL MONTE (U.S.), Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in El Monte, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on Sept. 28, 2023. The U.S. state of California is again witnessing gasoline prices soar to near record highs, sparking a call from the state's Republican lawmakers to suspend gas tax. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

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U.S.-CALIFORNIA-EL MONTE-GAS PRICES-SURGING

(230929) -- EL MONTE (U.S.), Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in El Monte, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on Sept. 28, 2023. The U.S. state of California is again witnessing gasoline prices soar to near record highs, sparking a call from the state's Republican lawmakers to suspend gas tax. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

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U.S.-CALIFORNIA-EL MONTE-GAS PRICES-SURGING

(230929) -- EL MONTE (U.S.), Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in El Monte, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on Sept. 28, 2023. The U.S. state of California is again witnessing gasoline prices soar to near record highs, sparking a call from the state's Republican lawmakers to suspend gas tax. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

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Japan's real wages slump most in nearly decade

STORY: Japan's real wages slump most in nearly decade DATELINE: May 24, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:46 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views in Tokyo STORYLINE: Japan's real wages in the fiscal year 2022 registered the steepest decline since 2014 as price increases outpaced the growth in nominal wages, official data showed Tuesday. In the fiscal year from April 2022 to March 2023, inflation-adjusted real wages fell by 1.8 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. This marked the sharpest decline since a 2.9-percent drop in the fiscal year 2014 when an increase in consumption tax led to higher prices. Nominal monthly wages rose by 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year to an average of 326,308 yen, the fastest growth in over 30 years. However, inflation outpaced such gains by experiencing a climb of 3.8 percent due to surging prices in food, electricity, and gas. During the period, regular salary, including base pay, rose 1.1 percent, wh

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Japan's core consumer prices jump 3.1 pct in March

STORY: Japan's core consumer prices jump 3.1 pct in March DATELINE: April 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:38 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of city views in Tokyo STORYLINE: Japan's core consumer prices jumped 3.1 percent in March from a year earlier, with food prices and those for durable goods surging, the government said in a report on Friday. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said the nationwide core consumer price index (CPI), excluding volatile fresh food items in fiscal 2022, climbed 3.0 percent from a year earlier, marking the sharpest rise since 1981. The headline figure has remained above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent inflation target for a complete year, the data showed, although government subsidies for household energy use helped soften energy prices, the data showed. But while energy prices went down 3.8 percent, with electricity, gasoline and kerosene prices dropping from a year ago, food prices leapt 8.2 percent in March. The rise in food prices was the

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Vietnam's coffee exports slow in Q1 as domestic prices rise

STORY: Vietnam's coffee exports slow in Q1 as domestic prices rise DATELINE: April 7, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:41 LOCATION: Hanoi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of coffee harvesting in Vietnam 2. various of roasting and packaging process of coffee beans in Vietnam 3. various of the coffee festival in the central highlands Dak Lak province STORYLINE: Vietnam's coffee exports in the first quarter this year edged down 1.6 percent to 572,000 tons from a year ago, the General Statistics Office has said, adding that coffee export revenue for the same period reached 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, down 2.3 percent on the year. Vietnamese coffee prices surging this year, coupled with rising interest rates on bank loans, have made exporters refrain from building their stockpiles and reluctant to have contracts for delivery in the future on concerns about global price volatility, said Nguyen Xuan Hien, head of staff of the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association (Vicofa). Also, Vietnamese farmers are in no rush to sell their

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Lebanese resort to firewood for heating as diesel prices skyrocket

STORY: Lebanese resort to firewood for heating as diesel prices skyrocket DATELINE: Feb. 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:43 LOCATION: Beirut CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people collecting firewood 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): NAYEF ABDALLAH ABDALLAH, Resident in southern Lebanon 3. various of people collecting firewood 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MOHAMMAD YAHFOUFI, Firewood trader in southern Lebanon STORYLINE: With surging diesel prices, many Lebanese have resorted to cheaper heating options to get through the harsh winter. Nayef Abdallah Abdallah, a resident of Mieh Mieh camp in southern Lebanon, said he has to collect tree trunks for heating. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): NAYEF ABDALLAH ABDALLAH, Resident in southern Lebanon "We live in the Mieh Mieh camp. We have three houses and we have old-fashioned heaters that work with firewood. We used to run heating with diesel but as you know, 20 liters of diesel now cost 1.2 or 1.3 million Lebanese pounds (120 to 130 U.S. dollars). We cannot afford it. We bought stoves

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Meeting in Bangkok on surging food prices

BANGKOK, Thailand - Representatives of developing countries in Asia discuss measures to counter surging food prices at a meeting organized by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Bangkok on March 9, 2011.

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Cabinet meeting on Middle East tension

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan (R, standing) speaks in a meeting with Cabinet members at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Feb. 22, 2011. Kan ordered his ministers to address the impact on the Japanese economy of surging oil prices, sparked by escalating tensions in Libya, and to assure the safety of Japanese nationals in Libya and other areas in North Africa and Middle East.

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Japanese dairy households face crisis over rising feed prices

TOKYO, Japan - A dairy farmer in Nasukarasuyama, Tochigi Prefecture, glances at an empty cow barn after he stopped raising milking cows in the face of surging feed prices.

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Gov't releases outline of emergency measures to fight inflation

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (2nd from L) addresses a meeting of officials from the government and ruling parties to compile emergency economic stimulus measures in the face of rising inflationary pressure due to surging gasoline and food prices. At left is Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano.

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Japan, EU OK push for launch of energy-saving forum at G-8

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa (L), Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (C) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hold a joint press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on April 23. At one-day talks between Japan and the European Union, the leaders agreed to push for the launch of a new energy-saving framework to curb global warming at July's Group of Eight summit in Japan and expressed ''strong concern'' about surging food and oil prices.

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Japan, EU OK push for launch of energy-saving forum at G-8

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa (L), Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (C) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso gather for a joint press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on April 23. At one-day talks between Japan and the European Union, the leaders agreed to push for the launch of a new energy-saving framework to curb global warming at July's Group of Eight summit in Japan and expressed ''strong concern'' about surging food and oil prices.

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BOJ chief says Japan economy on recovery course

OSAKA, Japan - Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui speaks during a news conference Sept. 2. Fukui downplayed speculation Japan's burgeoning economic recovery may stall due to surging crude oil prices and denied falling long-term interest rates indicate Japan's economy has turned downward.

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JAL aims to refrain from hiking airfares on domestic routes

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Airlines Corp. President Toshiyuki Shinmachi speaks in an interview with Kyodo News. He said JAL aims to refrain from hiking airfares on domestic flights despite surging crude oil prices.

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BOJ holds monetary policy steady, notes oil price hike

TOKYO, Japan - Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui speaks at a press conference at the bank headquarters in Tokyo on Aug. 10. Fukui voiced caution over surging crude oil prices.

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U.S.-NEW YORK-CPI

(221214) -- NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A customer picks vegetables for sale in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, Dec. 13, 2022. U.S. prices rose less than analysts' expectations in November, signaling that surging inflation may be slightly tamping down. The consumer price index (CPI), a measure of U.S. services and goods, climbed a mere 0.1 percent from October, and rose 7.1 percent from the same time last year, according to data released Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Labor. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

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U.S.-NEW YORK-CPI

(221214) -- NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Customers shop at a grocery store in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, Dec. 13, 2022. U.S. prices rose less than analysts' expectations in November, signaling that surging inflation may be slightly tamping down. The consumer price index (CPI), a measure of U.S. services and goods, climbed a mere 0.1 percent from October, and rose 7.1 percent from the same time last year, according to data released Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Labor. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)