Dec 15 (South China Morning Post) - It’s beginning to look a lot like a grim Christmas in Japan. Sharply rising prices for basic foodstuffs mean that the cost of a cake for the festive season is up significantly over last year, while parents say they will spend less on their children’s gifts.
Even the traditional bonenkai, or end-of-year company party, is out of favour, with many people saying they want the evening to end early to avoid spending so much, while employees who have worked gruelling hours in the run-up to the holidays say they plan to spend their time off sleeping in preparation for their return in the New Year.
Only a fraction of Japanese are Christian, but the nation embraced Christmas traditions with gusto decades ago as an economic opportunity. While the decorated trees, baubles and twinkling lights are still much in evidence in stores and restaurants this holiday season, there appears to be less ho, ho, ho in the air.
Rising costs are visible throughout the Japanese economy. A study by private credit research firm Teikoku Databank published in early December found that Christmas cakes were more expensive than a year ago, with prices for the basic components of the festive staple rising steeply over the last year. ...continue reading
