TOKYO - As rice prices across Japan continue to remain high, major convenience store chain Lawson has begun selling rice balls made exclusively with aged rice for the first time, starting on July 9th.
At a factory in Kanagawa Prefecture, workers were seen shaping freshly steamed 2023-harvest rice into the familiar triangle form. The product, branded as a "salt rice ball," is being rolled out across approximately 250 stores in central Tokyo, priced at 127 yen—22 yen cheaper than those made with newly harvested rice.
A customer in Tokyo commented, "Rice balls are expensive now. Something in the 120-yen range feels affordable. It’s a good option when you're deciding between that and a cup noodle."
Although the average retail price of rice in supermarkets has fallen back to levels seen around five months ago, prices remain roughly 1.6 times higher than last year. In response, other convenience store operators are also considering the use of government stockpiled rice in products such as boxed meals.
Source: TBS
