Japan to face largest price surge of the year in September, with price adjustments for 4,923 types of food

(1) According to a survey by Japan Teikoku Databank, the number of food items expected to see price increases in September has reached 4,923—about three times the number from the same period last year and the highest monthly figure so far this year. (2) The deterioration of the situation in the Middle East has pushed up crude oil prices, and the prices of packaging materials have risen, causing companies to continue passing on cost pressures to product prices. (3) Since April 2025, the number of food items with monthly price rises in Japan has once again exceeded 4,000. Driven by the depreciation of the yen and continuously rising import costs, it is expected that the number of food items increasing in price in October will continue to exceed 3,000, making it unlikely for the wave of price hikes to ease in the short term.