Japan consumer inflation up for first time in 10 months

Japan's core inflation picked up for the first time in 10 months in March, data showed Friday, offering a sliver of hope for the Bank of Japan, which has been struggling to beat years of deflation. Core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, rose 2.2 percent year-on-year in March, logging the first increase since May 2014, the internal affairs ministry said. Since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in late 2012, Tokyo has launched a high-profile bid to kick-start the economy an