Improper retail price surveys come to light

February 1, 2019

Tokyo--Japan's internal affairs ministry said Friday that improper survey methods have been taken to compile retail price statistics, one of the country's key economic data.

Prefectural governments across the country conduct on-site surveys on retail prices for some 500 goods and services for the sake of the ministry. Those prices are used for the consumer price index, the country's major inflation indicator.

According to the ministry, three researchers consigned by the Osaka government to chiefly report restaurant menu prices made survey visits only once every several months, although they were required to do so every month. In one case, no research was conducted at all.

The sloppy surveys affect price data on some 180 items collected from the three Osaka cities of Osaka, Hirakata and Higashiosaka.

A researcher said that there was no time to make visits as required due chiefly to nursing-care for parents, according to the Osaka prefectural government.

The discovery of the improper price research methods followed the revelation of the labor ministry's survey misconduct.

Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui told a press conference at the prefectural government office that it was very problematic that the researchers did not work in line with the rules, vowing a thorough investigation.

The internal affairs ministry denied that the latest finding had any impact on the CPI.Jiji Press