Japanese food prices to rise in 2018

NHK -- Jan 05

The price of food and drink in Japan is set to rise this year. The growing cost of raw materials and distribution, on the back of the country's labor crunch, are to blame.

Three major milling companies are hiking flour prices for bread and sweets by up to 4 percent, starting on Thursday.

Pre-cooked rice will also cost more. Packaged food company TableMark will raise its prices by as much as 17 percent in February.

Beverage-makers Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo will hike prices of bottled beer and kegs in the spring.

Wholesale prices of bottled beer are expected to rise by about 10 percent.