Japanese firms expect CPI to rise 2.4% a year from now, according to Reuters

TOKYO, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Japanese firms expect consumer prices to rise by an average of 2.4% a year from now, unchanged from their forecast three months ago, a central bank survey said on Friday.

Three months ago, companies expected prices to increase by 2.4% over the next year.

Firms surveyed by the Bank of Japan (BOJ), as part of its detailed “tankan” survey for December, also said they expect consumer prices to rise 2.3% annually three years from now and 2.2% annually five years from now.

The BOJ started a survey on corporate rate expectations from tanhan in March 2014 to gather more information on inflation expectations, which is key to its current stimulus plan.

(For questions, contact Daniel Leussink at: daniel.leussink@thomsonreuters.com)