Market Data 
By Leika Kihara
TOKYO (Reuters) -Nearly 90% of Japanese households expect prices to rise a year from now, a quarterly central bank survey showed on Friday, a sign of heightening inflation expectations that could help make the case for a near-term interest rate hike.
But households were more pessimistic about current economic conditions compared with three months before, boding ill for the outlook on consumption.
Of the total households surveyed by the Bank of Japan (BOJ), 87.5% said they expect prices to rise a year from now, up from 83.3% in previous survey in March and marking the highest level in 16 years.
The survey also showed 82.0% of the respondents expect prices to rise five years from now, higher than 80.6% in the previous survey.
Households’ perception about future inflation is among key factors the BOJ scrutinises in deciding when to raise interest rates, as well as the outlook for consumption and wages.
Companies’ long-term inflation expectations are also converging towards the BOJ’s 2% target. A separate survey earlier this month showed Japanese firms expect inflation to hit 2.3% three years from now and 2.2% five years ahead.
The surveys back up the BOJ’s view that Japan is making progress toward durably achieving its 2% inflation target – a prerequisite for raising interest rates.
The BOJ next meets for a policy meeting on July 30-31. While many market players expect the central bank to hike rates this year, they are divided on the likelihood of action this month.
Soft consumption could emerge as a factor that discourages the BOJ to raise rates too soon, some analysts say.
Friday’s BOJ survey showed an index gauging the ratio of households who are optimistic about the economy versus those who are pessimistic stood at -49.8 in June, worse than -36.1% in March.
The BOJ ended negative interest rates in March on the view that sustained achievement of its 2% inflation target has come into sight. Governor Kazuo Ueda has signalled the chance of more hikes if underlying inflation heads toward 2%, as it projects.
