A total of 4,923 food and beverage items in Japan are expected to see price hikes in September, more than triple the tally a year earlier and the largest monthly total in over three years, a survey by a research company showed Monday.
The spike stems partly from surging crude oil and naphtha prices tied to the Middle East conflict, which in turn pushed up the cost of packaging materials, according to Teikoku Databank.
Rising personnel and logistics expenses, along with costlier imports due to the yen's depreciation, also prompted companies to raise prices, the survey covering 195 major food manufacturers found.
The figure compares with 1,467 items a year earlier and marks the highest monthly total since April 2023, when food prices in Japan began climbing amid rising inflation.
By category, seasoning products accounted for the largest share, with 1,959 items set for price hikes in September, followed by processed food at 1,848 items.
For the whole of 2026, the number of food and beverage items with price increases is projected to exceed last year's total of 20,609, with more than 3,000 additional items expected to become more expensive in October, the company said.
In the face of soaring living costs, the Japanese government has been slow to act. It was not until early August that it decided to reduce the food consumption tax rate from eight percent to 1 percent, effective April 2027, for a two‑year period.
Nearly 5,000 food, beverage items in Japan to see price hikes in September
