News On Japan

Toilet Paper Prices to Rise Again

FUKUOKA - Major paper manufacturers in Japan are set to raise prices on tissue and toilet paper by approximately 5% to 15% from April.

The price increases are attributed to the sustained high costs of imported raw materials and rising labor costs. Additionally, the introduction of regulations on overtime work for truck drivers starting next week, known as the "2024 problem," is expected to lead to an increase in logistics costs.

The price hikes starting in April are not limited to paper products. According to a survey by Teikoku Databank, approximately 2,800 food items, mainly ham and sausages, will see price increases.

Factors include the prolonged depreciation of the yen affecting import costs, the increase in logistics costs related to the "2024 problem," and rising labor costs due to wage increases, suggesting that the trend of price hikes is expected to continue.

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Japan delivered their strongest performance of the World Cup so far with a 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on June 21, moving to four points in Group F and putting themselves in a strong position to reach the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Sweden.

Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) was east of the Philippines as of noon on June 21, moving west-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour with a central pressure of 985 hectopascals, maximum sustained winds of 30 meters per second and gusts of up to 40 meters per second, as it continued to strengthen on a course that may bring it near Okinawa later this week.

Mosquitoes are appearing earlier than usual this year, raising fears of a major summer outbreak as experts warn that warm May weather and repeated light rain have created ideal breeding conditions across residential areas.

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service.

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The Bank of Japan's decision on June 16 to raise its policy interest rate to 1%, the highest level in roughly 30 years, is expected to increase annual net burdens by more than 20,000 yen for households in their 30s with two or more members once higher interest income on deposits and increased mortgage repayment costs are both taken into account, according to estimates by an economist.

A major pet-related product fair opened in Osaka on June 20, bringing together more than 400 companies and showcasing new technologies and products ranging from a bone-conduction hearing device for dogs to furniture designed for cats and their owners to relax together.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for an infected liver cyst and is expected to return to work on June 23 while continuing outpatient care for about two weeks.

Japan's nationwide consumer price index rose 1.4% in May from a year earlier, staying below 2% for the fourth straight month as lower rice, gasoline, utility and school tuition costs helped curb the overall increase.

The Nikkei Stock Average surged past 71000 on Thursday, closing at a record high for the fourth straight session, as easing tensions in the Middle East lifted investor sentiment while the yen weakened to a nearly two-year low against the dollar.

Nissan Motor announced that it will launch the fully redesigned Kicks compact SUV on June 18, marking the model's first full overhaul in six years as the automaker seeks to strengthen its position in Japan's highly competitive small SUV market.

Japan's return to a world of higher interest rates is reshaping household finances, with a growing number of young homebuyers turning to 40- and 50-year mortgages to afford rapidly rising apartment prices, according to a discussion aired on BS-TBS's Report 1930 on June 17.

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has conducted on-site inspections of six major food manufacturers over suspicions they formed a cartel to coordinate ice cream prices, with authorities investigating whether the companies exchanged information and unfairly adjusted planned retail price increases in response to rising costs.