Japan sees drop in core inflation as BOJ mulls more easing

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food prices, edged down 0.1 percent in September while household incomes and spending also fell, the government said Friday. Getting consumers and businesses to spend more, a key aim of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies, has so far proven difficult. Slow progress toward a 2 percent inflation goal has raised expectations that the central bank might announce an expansion of its already lavish monetary easing at a policy...