Tokyo, May 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan's core consumer price index rose 1.4 pct in April from a year earlier, marking the 56th consecutive month of growth, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. The core CPI, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, stood at 112.5 against the 2020 base of 100. The pace of increase slowed from a 1.8 pct rise in March due to government gasoline subsidies and a program to make private high school tuitions free. Food prices excluding fresh items rose 4.1 pct, with the pace of increase decelerating for the ninth consecutive month. Rice prices, which remained high, edged up 0.6 pct, significantly slowing from a 6.8 pct increase in March. In contrast, coffee bean prices surged 46.8 pct in response to tight supply caused by poor harvests, while chocolate prices rose 21.6 pct due to price hikes in June and July last year. Energy prices fell 3.9 pct. Gasoline prices dropped 9.7 pct, reflecting the abolition of provisional gasoline tax surcharges and government subsidies aimed at cushioning the impact of soaring crude oil prices amid the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. Electricity fees fell 2.6 pct and city gas bills declined 5.1 pct, compared with falls of 8.0 pct and 8.3 pct, respectively, in the previous month, after government subsidies were scaled down. The overall CPI, including fresh food, rose 1.4 pct, while the index excluding fresh food and energy climbed 1.9 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]