Japanese economy clearly not deflationary

TOKYO, July 19 (UPI) -- Japanese authorities gave their clearest signal yet that the nation's economy has definitely emerged from its deflationary spiral.

A key monthly government report dropped the word deflation in the first such omission in five years, Kyodo reported Wednesday.

The July report cited a recent pickup in the year-on-year change in the consumer price index that excludes energy costs plus other special factors.

This type of CPI rose 0.2 percent in April and May on a year-on-year basis, Tokyo said.