Japan food prices set to rise for 3,153 items in October as West Asia conflict drives costs

A customer visits a store at Togoshi Ginza shopping street in Tokyo on January 23, 2025. The prices of 3,153 food and beverage items in Japan are set to rise next month as higher packaging costs stemming from the West Asia conflict and a weaker yen continue to hit household budgets, a research firm's survey showed Wednesday, Kyodo News reported. — AFP pic

First Published: Wednesday, 30 Sep 2026 12:38 PM MYT

TOKYO, Sept 30 — The prices of 3,153 food and beverage items in Japan are set to rise next month as higher packaging costs stemming from the West Asia conflict and a weaker yen continue to hit household budgets, a research firm's survey showed Wednesday, Kyodo News reported.

The increases in October will follow price hikes for 4,965 items in September, according to Teikoku Databank Ltd, which described the two months as another “wave of price hikes.”

Higher crude oil and naphtha prices caused by the worsening situation in West Asia have driven up the cost of packaging materials, while the weakening yen has pushed up import prices, prompting companies to pass on higher costs to consumers. — Bernama-Kyodo