Food Price Hikes Expected to Slow in Japan

The cost of food in Japan has been increasing. In 2025 alone, more than 20,000 food and drink items became more expensive, according to data from Teikoku Databank.

But there’s some good news: The number of price hikes is expected to decrease.

While that doesn’t mean things will become cheaper, it does mean that fewer items will become more expensive.

According to Teikoku Databank’s latest data, Japan’s 195 largest food and drink companies plan to increase prices on 674 products in February.

That’s almost 60% fewer than the more than 1,600 price rises recorded in the same month last year, which mostly affected processed foods.

This is the second month in a row in which the number of price hikes has decreased compared to the year before.

Teikoku Databank found that 298 alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, such as cooking sake and fresh juice, will account for the largest part of the price increases.

And 283 processed food items are also expected to increase in price.

“Overall, food and beverage price increases have come to a halt,” a Teikoku Databank official said.

However, the official warned that the weak yen could increase the risk of inflation later in the year.

In recent years, price hikes in Japan have made daily life difficult for many people — especially young people, many of whom have struggled with higher monthly spending on groceries.

In November 2025, a survey found that more than three-quarters of Japan’s young people had seen their food bills increase compared with a year before.

This led to people looking for cheaper ingredients or cutting back on meals to save money. Some young people also said they were so worried about food costs that they found it difficult to concentrate on their studies.