Producer prices in Japan were down 0.9 percent on month in January, the Bank of Japan said on Wednesday.
That missed forecasts for a decline of 0.7 percent following the 0.4 percent contraction in December.
On a yearly basis, producer prices skidded 3.1 percent - also shy of expectations for a fall of 2.8 percent following the 3.5 percent decline in the previous month.
Export prices were down 0.6 percent on month and 5.6 percent on year, the bank said, while import prices tumbled 3.0 percent on month and 16.6 percent on year.
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