News On Japan

Tokyo's CPI Rises 2.4% in March

TOKYO, Mar 29 (News On Japan) - The consumer price index (CPI) for Tokyo's 23 wards, which tracks the price movements of goods and services consumed by households, reported a preliminary increase of 2.4% in mid-March.

Excluding the volatile prices of fresh food, the comprehensive CPI for Tokyo's 23 wards in mid-March rose by 2.4% from the same month last year.

Although the rate of increase was 0.1 percentage point lower than in February, marking the first reduction in two months, significant rises continue with food prices excluding fresh food climbing by 4.6%, while lodging fees surging by 27.7%.

The average CPI for Tokyo's 23 wards in fiscal year 2023 increased by 2.7%.

While the growth rate has decreased from the previous fiscal year's increase of 2.9%, it marks the second consecutive year of inflation exceeding 2%.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The Japanese government has released an updated damage forecast for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake, estimating that up to 298,000 people could die in the worst-case scenario. This projection reflects a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 332,000 deaths made 13 years ago.

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on March 30th that cherry blossoms (Somei-Yoshino) in central Tokyo have reached full bloom, one day earlier than the historical average and five days earlier than last year.

The IG Arena, a new venue that will host events for the 2026 Asian and Asian Para Games in Aichi and other areas, has been completed, with a handover ceremony held on March 29th, 2025.

An opening ceremony was held Saturday for the Japan Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. As the host country's main exhibit, the pavilion is positioned as the symbolic "face" of the Expo, welcoming visitors from around the world with a presentation of Japan's culture of circularity.

Japan’s beloved seafood is now in crisis. Compared to five years ago, catches of Pacific saury have dropped by 80%, Japanese flying squid by 55.5%, mackerel by 50%, and yellowtail by 13%.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

Sukiya, one of Japan's leading beef bowl restaurant chains, announced it will temporarily close nearly all of its stores after an insect was found in a food item served at one of its outlets.

Fuji Television announced a sweeping overhaul of its management structure on March 27th, including the retirement of longtime executive Hisashi Hieda, who served on the board for 41 years.

The Trump administration announced on March 26th that it will impose an additional 25% tariff on imported automobiles and key auto parts. According to the proclamation signed by President Trump, the tariffs are set to take effect on April 3rd and will apply to all imported vehicles, including those from Japan.

Rapidus, a company aiming to domestically produce next-generation semiconductors, plans to begin operating its prototype line for advanced chips in April. The company is accelerating development of 2-nanometer-class semiconductors, expected to be used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

A luxury tower apartment under construction in Grand Green Osaka, located in front of Osaka Station, has drawn attention for its record-setting price tag of 2.5 billion yen. The media was recently granted first access to a completed unit inside the building.

Japan’s economy, long characterized by stagnation and deflation, is now showing signs of a potential revival.

Once a pioneering force in Japan’s convenience store sector, 7-Eleven is now facing a clear slowdown. Although the company introduced many groundbreaking services over the years—such as hot oden by the register and in-store ATMs—it has failed to produce a major hit in over a decade.

Meitetsu announced on March 24th its long-term redevelopment plan for the area in front of Nagoya Station, which includes the construction of two new skyscrapers matching the height of the iconic Spiral Towers in nearby Sasashima.