Oof! As if the rising temperature wasn’t bad enough, Japan is set to face another price surge for food items starting this month. According to Kyodo News, the weaker yen has resulted in increased costs for imported materials and analysts are observing an upward trend in food prices.
Kyodo News references a survey conducted by the Teikoku Databank, which estimates that the cost of 2,431 food products will rise in August, with prices for an additional 8,043 items expected to go up within the second half of 2022. Nikkei Asia reports that major food companies affected by the rise of import costs include Ajinomoto and Kewpie, as well as convenience stores like Lawson and FamilyMart.
Famima even announced that the price of the ever-popular Famichiki fried chicken will be bumped up from ¥180 to ¥198 on August 23. The konbini chain is expected to raise prices for other items, too. Family Mart onigiri rice balls, bento boxes, baked goods and desserts are expected to become up to 17 percent more expensive than before.
Meanwhile, non-food related Japanese corporations are also preparing for price hikes, including Panasonic and Uniqlo. Uniqlo’s ultra light down jacket will soon be ¥6,990 instead of ¥5,990, while fleeces will also cost an extra ¥1,000 to become ¥2,990. Better start saving now for your winter wardrobe.
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