Rising Living Costs Squeeze 80% of Households in Japan

Oct 10, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Sumitomo Life Insurance has reported that around 80% of households in Japan are being impacted by rising prices, with monthly living costs now about 9,600 yen higher than a year ago. The findings come from the company’s latest survey on household finances, which shows that inflation is putting significant pressure on family budgets.

Food expenses were cited as the area most affected, with 26.4% of respondents saying they had refrained from buying rice at times because the price was too high. Meanwhile, only 14.3% of those surveyed expect their annual income to increase this year.

To cope with the added financial burden, 75.6% of households said they are actively trying to cut back on spending. The data underscores how persistently high prices continue to erode purchasing power and reshape consumer behavior across the country.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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