Japan's consumer inflation slightly slowed in July, but prices rose year-on-year by more than 3 percent for the 11th consecutive month.

The internal affairs ministry says the Consumer Price Index excluding fresh food in July was 3.1 percent higher than a year earlier. The figure was down 0.2 points from the previous month.

The index for food, excluding fresh items, was up 9.2 percent. Specifically, egg prices soared 36.2 percent, carbonated drinks were up 16.4 percent, hamburgers 14 percent, and freeze-dried soup 13.7 percent.

Prices for cat food rose 28.6 percent, while accommodation fees went up 15.1 percent. Mobile-phone charges were up 10.2 percent, posting the biggest year-on-year increase since January 2001.

Meanwhile, electricity bills dropped 16.6 percent thanks to government subsidies and the rate of fuel price increases is lower.

The ministry estimates that the price index for July, excluding fresh food items, would have been around 4.2 percent without government subsidies for utility bills.

Service prices went up 2 percent from a year earlier, although the figure for June was 1.6 percent. July's increase was the highest since October 1993, if the effects of the consumption tax hikes are excluded.

The ministry says it will keep an eye on service prices, which it says tend to move in tandem with wages and are expected to affect future consumer prices.