The soaring prices of rice and other daily necessities have increased the cost of living for households in Japan, raising concerns amongst residents of all ages.
According to data released by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Friday, the average price of rice in supermarkets across Japan has reached 4,267 yen (about 27.03 U.S. dollars) per 5 kilograms, remaining at a historically high level.
During interviews with China Global Television Network (CGTN), some residents in Osaka said the higher prices have made rice increasingly difficult to afford, prompting them to specifically buy during supermarket discounts days or promotional offers, while others said the continuous price hikes have forced them to reduce their daily rice consumption.
"Rice has really become too expensive. It's really difficult to afford. Sometimes when I plan to go to the supermarket to buy rice, I'll choose a day when there are discounts," said a resident.
"I eat less rice than before, because it's too expensive," said another resident.
In addition to rice, other foods and daily necessities have also seen price increases, according to residents.
"Prices have risen by around 20 to 30 percent. Overall, almost everything, like food and other groceries, have seen their prices increase," said a resident. "When I go to the supermarket, I notice fruit prices have increased. So do vegetable prices," said another resident.
Japan's rising rice prices strain household budgets
Japan's rising rice prices strain household budgets
At least 40 people were confirmed dead, while dozens of others remained hospitalized after two high-speed trains collided near the city of Cordoba in southern Spain on Sunday.
The accident occurred at around 19:45 local time (1845 GMT) when a train carrying 317 passengers on the Malaga-Madrid route derailed for reasons still unknown near Amaduz, about 20 km from Cordoba, Spanish authorities said.
The derailed train struck another high-speed train traveling on an adjacent track from Madrid to Huelva, causing the latter to derail.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced three days of official mourning for the train accident.
Sanchez canceled his scheduled agenda and traveled to the crash site, where he addressed the media and announced that the national mourning period would begin at midnight on Monday. He pledged a full investigation into the cause of the accident, describing it as a "painful day" for the country.
Juanma Moreno, president of the Andalusian regional government, said the impact of the derailment was "extremely violent," noting that some bodies had been found hundreds of meters from the crash site, suggesting that passengers had been thrown from the train.
He warned that more victims could be discovered as rescue operations continue.
Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente said earlier that it was "strange" for such an accident to occur on a straight section of track that had only been laid in May 2025. He added that the Malaga-Madrid service, operated by private company Iryo, was using relatively new rolling stock built in 2022.
Alvaro Fernandez Heredia, president of Spain's state-owned rail operator Renfe, told Spanish state radio network RNE that human error had "been practically ruled out," suggesting the cause was more likely related to Iryo's rolling stock or an infrastructure failure.
Spanish media also reported that in August 2025, the national train drivers' union had raised concerns with infrastructure operator ADIF over defects on the same section of track, including surface damage, unevenness and problems with overhead power lines.
40 confirmed dead after high-speed train collision in Spain
