Japan's Aso - CPI data shows deflation battle going well

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Friday that consumer price data released earlier showed that things are proceeding well in Japan's efforts to shake off deflation. Aso, speaking to reporters, also said month-on-month gains may be more important than annual gains after the government raised the national sales tax at the start of April. Core consumer prices in Tokyo, a leading indicator of nationwide inflation, rose 2.7 percent in April from a year earlier to mark the biggest gain in more than two decades, government data showed. Nationwide core consumer inflation also matched a five-year high of 1.3 percent in March from a year ago, and is expected to track the Tokyo index's spike next month. (Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Dominic Lau and Chang-Ran Kim)