Japan's wholesale prices increased 1.8 percent in February for the 11th consecutive month of rise from a year earlier due to a weaker yen that increased material and fuel prices, said the Japanese central bank on Wednesday.

The index of corporate goods prices stood at 102.8 against the 2010 base of 100, the Bank of Japan said in a preliminary report, according to local media.

The February increase slowed from a revised 2.5 percent rise in January as effects of the yen's falling is diminishing and higher energy prices continued to push up corporate prices, said Japan's Kyodo News, citing a BOJ official.

The BOJ said that prices of lumber and wood products rose 12.6 percent and those of iron and steel increased 5.8 percent, while those of electric power, gas and water jumped 11.9 percent.

It said Japanese export prices in yen terms increased 3.1 percent and import prices climbed 6.3 percent due to the yen's depreciation.

On a contract currency basis, export prices dropped 2.6 percent while import prices fell 0.8 percent. Endi

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