Japan's 2020 Deflation Period from CPI Data

Steps:

• Define deflation as a negative year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• Review Japan's monthly CPI data for 2020 from official sources like the Statistics Bureau.
• Identify consecutive months with negative CPI: July (-0.4%), August (-0.4%), September (-0.2%).
• Confirm no deflation before July or after September in that year.

Why B is correct:

• July to September 2020 matches the exact consecutive months of negative CPI growth, per Japan's deflation definition.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Includes October 2020 to February 2021, when CPI turned positive due to recovery.
• C: Starts in October 2020, missing the actual deflation onset in July.
• D: Omits July 2020, the start of the deflationary period.

Final answer: B