The consumption expenditure of workers' households increased in 2012, on a year-to-year basis. By expense item, "Transportation and communications" showed a considerable increase thanks to the policy effects of eco-car subsidy program.

## Figure 8: Transition of the consumer price index

In 2012 the general consumer price index excluding fresh foods (so-called "core") declined for 4 consecutive years. In and after 2011, the decline of the general index excluding fresh foods, petroleum products and other special factors (so-called "core-core") was larger than the decline of the general consumer price index and "core" index.

Source: "Consumer Price Index" Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

(Note) 1) The "general index excluding fresh foods, petroleum products and other special factors (so-called "core-core")" is equal to the "general index excluding fresh foods" excluding petroleum products, electricity fee, city gas fee, rice, cut flowers, chicken eggs, fixed-line phone communication charge, medical care fee, nursing care fee, tobacco, the tuition fee of public and private high school. Estimated by the Cabinet Office.

2) The figures are on a monthly basis and are available until March 2013.

Table 9: Transition of consumer expenditures by expense item

Year/period	Consumer expenditures	Foods	Housing	Light, heat and water utility	Furniture and household products	Clothing and footwear	Health care	Transportation and communication	Education	Culture and entertainment
Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)	Index	Real ratio on comparison to the same period last year (%)
2008	99.3	-1.1	101.4	-1.6	92.3	-5.6	99.4	-0.8	91.7	6.2	102.4	-4.4	100.8	-0.6	96.3	2.3	91.8	-2.3	93.2	1.2
09	99.4	-0.3	100.3	-1.5	94.6	2.4	98.0	-1.1	91.1	-1.1	100.0	-2.5	104.9	3.9	99.2	2.6	95.8	2.8	95.5	2.2
10	100.0	0.6	100.0	-0.5	100.0	6.0	100.0	1.3	100.0	9.9	100.0	-0.3	100.0	-4.8	100.0	0.9	100.0	3.2	100.0	4.6
11	97.3	-2.7	98.7	-1.3	104.8	4.7	97.1	-3.0	103.4	3.6	96.7	-3.2	96.1	-3.8	93.8	-6.3	104.1	4.5	95.4	-4.6
12	98.6	1.6	99.8	1.4	99.4	-5.0	96.3	-0.4	107.1	3.7	99.7	3.4	104.2	8.6	102.9	10.1	99.6	-3.6	94.1	-0.9
11	I	97.7	-4.0	96.0	-1.3	93.5	-2.4	125.4	2.5	90.2	3.7	98.0	-9.6	95.7	-3.9	97.8	-5.3	101.8	-1.7	90.8
II	96.1	-1.7	96.2	-1.6	99.2	-5.8	95.1	-3.3	104.3	17.0	94.5	-0.9	91.6	-2.5	90.2	-3.6	116.0	-0.2	94.7	0.2
III	95.4	-3.4	98.6	-1.7	112.7	17.1	81.1	-7.2	109.4	-1.3	84.3	-7.2	92.6	-7.2	92.4	-14.5	92.7	13.3	99.9	0.0
IV	100.2	-1.6	104.0	-0.6	113.8	9.8	87.0	-5.3	109.7	-2.7	109.9	4.2	104.6	-2.0	94.8	-1.0	105.8	9.2	96.1	-11.5
I	97.9	1.4	97.2	2.5	93.3	1.0	123.3	-0.5	92.6	3.5	103.6	7.1	103.5	9.2	96.2	-0.6	104.4	3.4	91.3	1.8
II	98.3	2.4	97.3	1.2	98.0	-1.1	94.0	-0.9	103.9	-0.5	98.5	4.1	96.0	4.7	103.8	15.6	119.8	3.8	93.4	-1.1
III	96.4	1.0	99.8	1.1	99.4	-11.6	79.6	-1.8	114.8	4.7	82.4	-2.3	105.5	13.8	106.2	14.8	81.0	-12.3	94.0	-6.0
IV	101.7	1.6	105.0	1.1	107.1	-6.6	88.2	1.5	117.1	6.8	114.2	4.0	111.9	6.8	105.3	11.3	93.3	-10.6	97.9	2.0
I	103.6	4.9	99.8	1.9	93.4	-1.7	124.6	0.2	94.1	0.7	106.8	2.7	107.3	2.6	111.5	14.8	112.3	8.4	96.3	4.7

(2010 = 100)

Source: "Family Income and Expenditure Survey" Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

(Note) 1) The figures are those of workers' households with 2 or more members.

2) The index is nominal, and is adjusted on the basis of age distribution of household members and householders.

## Figure 10: Transition of the consumer confidence index

The consumer confidence has improved from January, 2013, as the consumer expectations have become higher mainly in terms of the employment environment.

Source: "Consumer Confidence Survey" Cabinet Office

(Note) 1) The consumer confidence index was prepared as follows:

(1) The consumer perceptions are surveyed about 4 items: "overall livelihood," "income growth," "employment" and "willingness to buy durable goods."

At which time, the respondents are requested to provide their answers, on a 5-point scale, about how they thought would each survey item change during the next half year.

(2) Points were given to each survey item according to the 5-point scale, and the consumer confidence index was calculated for each survey item.

More specifically, in the case of the answers classified as positive about consumption, (+1) was given to "will improve" and (+0.75) was given to "will improve slightly," in the case of the answers classified as neutral, (+0.5) was given to "will not change" and in the case of the answers classified as negative, (+0.25) was given to "will worsen slightly" and (0) was given to "will worsen"; then the points in each answer classification were multiplied by each composition ratio (%) and then the results were totalized.

(3) By using the simple average of 4 consumer perception indexes (unadjusted), the consumer confidence index (unadjusted) was calculated.