A year ago, a 5kg bag of rice cost about ¥2,130. In May this year it had doubled to roughly ¥4,280.
Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/BloombergExplainer
How a Rice Shortage Spurred a National Crisis in Japan
Shops have hiked the price of their rice dishes and with an election looming the rice crisis could weigh heavily on voters.
A shortage of rice in Japan — a problem that has been in the making since 2023 — caused the price of the household staple to reach a high this year, exacerbating the country’s cost of living challenges and fueling resentment among the population.
In some cases schools have cut back on the days they serve rice for lunch. Shops and restaurants have hiked the prices of their rice dishes. While prices have been falling since they peaked in May, rice is still about 60% more expensive than 12 months ago.