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Tag - inflation

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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INFLATION

The Bank of Japan's headquarters in Tokyo
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 23, 2026
Half of economists still see BOJ waiting until December to hike
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s government is seen as a key obstacle to further action, according to a survey.
A rickshaw puller drinks a bottle of barley tea in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture.
BUSINESS
Jul 22, 2026
Japan¡¯s electricity price hits highest in over three years on triple blow
With a triple whammy of blistering heat, yen weakness and escalating fuel costs, the nationwide day-ahead spot price surged to ?24.78 a kilowatt-hour on Wednesday.
In Tokyo's 23 wards, the average price of a new condominium rose 9.1% to a record high of ?142.49 million.
BUSINESS
Jul 21, 2026
Tokyo-area condo prices hit record high in first half of 2026
The average price of new condominiums in the Tokyo metropolitan area rose 13.1% from a year before to ?101.35 million.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers a question in parliament in Tokyo last week.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jul 21, 2026
Takaichi¡¯s popularity dips after prioritizing controversial laws
Support for Takaichi¡¯s government decreased to 53% from 60% in June in an Asahi Shimbun poll, while broadcaster ANN found her popularity fell over 10 points to 49.2%.
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jul 21, 2026
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
The financial strain is affecting parents¡¯ mental health, with 44% of survey respondents saying they always or often feel extremely depressed when thinking about summer vacation.
Corporate bond issuance reached a record ?16.7 trillion in the financial year through March, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 21, 2026
Climbing interest rates reshape Japan¡¯s corporate bond market
While higher rates have raised borrowing costs for issuers, they have also incentivized investors toward fixed-income securities, setting in motion a new cycle of capital flows.
LDP lawmaker Itsunori Onodera (right), who chairs the National Council on Social Security, in Tokyo on Thursday
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jul 16, 2026
Parties agree on new benefit program but stay divided over consumption tax on food
While there is agreement to a refundable tax credit for certain workers, debate on cutting the consumption tax on food is expected to intensify.
The end of Japan-bashing should not be mistaken for a vote of confidence. It may simply indicate that the world has shifted its attention to other sources of imbalance.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 10, 2026
The weak yen is not Japan¡¯s new strength. It is a warning.
The absence of Japan-bashing should not be mistaken for international approval. It may simply mean the world no longer sees Japan as the central imbalance problem.
Japan¡¯s corporate goods prices rose 7.1% in June from a year earlier, the Bank of Japan reported Friday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 10, 2026
Japan¡¯s producer prices rise at fastest pace since early 2023
The measure of input prices for Japanese firms rose 7.1% in June from a year earlier, the Bank of Japan reported.
Bags of rice at a supermarket in Aichi Prefecture. A bill designed to stabilize rice supply and demand has been passed by the parliament.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 9, 2026
Diet enacts bill to stabilize rice supply and demand
Various businesses will now have to report inventory, shipments and sales volumes in order to help improve the accuracy of forecasts.
The diffusion index for Japan¡¯s three-month rice price outlook fell 4 points to 19 in June, matching the record low set in August 2014 and staying below 50 for a ninth straight month, according to an agricultural group.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 7, 2026
Japan¡¯s rice prices likely to fall in coming months
An index for the outlook on rice prices over the next three months has shown stronger expectations for lower prices.
An electronic board displays the exchange rate of the yen against the U.S. dollar and other currencies on a street in Tokyo on June 22.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 6, 2026
Fighting yen psychology is a losing battle
Turning the currency around, never easy at the best times, has just become harder given the renewed embrace of the greenback.
Electronic boards display the foreign exchange rate of the yen against the U.S. dollar at a brokerage in Tokyo on Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Jul 3, 2026
Little hope for a declining yen amid structural pressures
Ultimately, the value of the yen reflects faith in the Japanese economy¡¯s long-term prospects.
Products at the Oshikatsu Expo in Tokyo
BUSINESS
Jul 3, 2026
Inside Japan¡¯s $25 billion consumer market built on fan devotion
From collecting Hello Kitty goods to manga figurines, what was once considered a niche hobby has evolved into a fan-merchandising economy estimated to be worth ?4.1 trillion.
The Hakuba Cross-Country Course in the village of Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, in February. For a third year in a row, roadside land prices in the village have increased at the highest rate across Japan.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 1, 2026
Roadside land prices rise in popular Japanese tourist sites
Across the board, the prices of land facing major roads in Japan as of Jan. 1 went up by 2.9%, marking a fifth consecutive year of increases.
Ayano Sato in Tokyo on Tuesday
BUSINESS
Jun 30, 2026
Takaichi¡¯s new BOJ board pick signals tame view on inflation
Ayano Sato begins her five-year term just two weeks after the BOJ raised its benchmark interest rate to the highest level in 31 years.
The government kept its view that the economy is "recovering moderately,¡± signaling its expansion still has room to run.
BUSINESS
Jun 30, 2026
Japan nears longest postwar growth even as households struggle
The government kept its view that the economy is ¡°recovering moderately,¡± signaling the expansion still has room to run.
Higher crude oil and naphtha prices have pushed up the costs of packaging and raw materials, leading to price increases mainly for processed foods, including instant noodles, and bread products.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 30, 2026
Japan to see price hikes for 2,566 food items in July
Higher crude oil and naphtha prices have pushed up the costs of packaging and raw materials, leading to price increases mainly for processed foods like instant noodles.
The consumer price index excluding fresh food for the Tokyo area, considered a leading indicator for nationwide price trends, rose 1.6% in June from a year earlier.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 26, 2026
Tokyo inflation picks up, keeping BOJ on track for further hike
The consumer price index excluding fresh food rose 1.6% in June from a year earlier in Japan¡¯s capital.
Bank of Japan board member Naoki Tamura is a widely known hawk on the board who frequently calls for interest rates to be raised to a more normal setting.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 25, 2026
Rate hikes needed every few months, hawkish BOJ board member says
While the remarks suggest another rate hike may come earlier than BOJ watchers expect, they also show there is some caution around raising rates again in July.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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