TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - The Tokyo-area August consumer price index rose 0.4 pct month-on-month after a fall of 0.2 pct in July, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said. Year-on-year, August CPI declined 0.9 pct following a 1.1 pct decline a month earlier, it said. Excluding fresh food prices, the Tokyo-area CPI in August rose 0.1 pct after declining 0.1 pct in July. Core CPI fell 1.2 pct year-on-year following a 1.1 pct decline in July, it said. The ministry changed its calculation standard to year 2000 standard from the year 1995 standard previously, it said. The Cabinet Office said the new calculation standard shows a current moderate deflation trend, which Japan is encountering more clearly. A ministry official said the month-on-month rise in Tokyo-area August CPI was largely due to seasonal factors. The official said fresh food prices rose 6.6 pct month-on-month due to bad harvest amid the dry and hot weather. Year-on-year, fresh food prices rose 4.9 pct, the official said. The official said the rise in fresh food prices also contributed to the narrowing of the year-on-year fall. He said the month-on-month rise was also driven by the higher prices of entertainment, as well as communications and transport, amid the summer holiday season. Entertainment prices rose 2.6 pct month-on-month, while transport and communications rose 0.7 pct. Under the old calculation standard, Tokyo-area CPI was down 0.6 pct year-on-year, while core CPI was down 0.9 pct.