Japan's core inflation hit 3.0% in February and an index stripping away the effect of fuel rose at the fastest pace in nearly a year, a sign of broadening price pressure that reinforces market expectations of further interest rate hikes.

Japan’s consumer inflation slowed slightly in February due to energy subsidies but maintained the uptrend keeping interest-rate hike expectations intact.

Overall, both indices remained well above the Bank of Japan's 2% inflation target, validating the central bank chief Haruhiko Kuroda's declaration of victory over decades of defla