TOKYO - A discount supermarket chain known for its ultra-low prices has raised the price of kaiware radish sprouts for the first time in 34 years, as worsening tensions in the Middle East continue to drive up oil-related costs and disrupt supplies of plastic products across Japan.
At discount supermarket chain Akidai on May 7th, a pack of kaiware sprouts was being sold for 15 yen before tax. While still remarkably cheap, the product had been sold for 10 yen per pack since the company was founded in 1992.
The price increase of 5 yen took effect in May.
Akidai President Hiromichi Akiba said: "Since starting Akidai 34 years ago, we have continued selling one pack for 10 yen, even at a loss. But this latest increase has been extremely severe, and we simply couldn't absorb it any longer. We had no choice but to raise the price by 5 yen."
The increase was attributed to rising packaging costs caused by higher crude oil prices and shortages of naphtha, a key petrochemical feedstock used to manufacture plastic products including food containers, bags, and wrapping materials.
One shopper said they had not noticed the price increase, adding: "It's difficult because plastic-related products are being affected by the oil situation."
The naphtha shortage is also creating disruption in the supply of designated garbage bags used by municipalities across Japan.
Regions reporting shortages or unstable supplies now stretch from Akita Prefecture in the north through Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture, as far south as Okinawa Prefecture.
In some municipalities facing shortages, temporary measures have been introduced allowing residents to dispose of household garbage using transparent or semi-transparent bags instead of official designated bags.
In Kitaakita, residents can use commercially available clear or semi-transparent bags if they clearly write either "burnable" or "non-burnable" along with the household head's name on the bag.
At a supermarket in Mishima, designated garbage bags have been in short supply since around mid-April.
Tsune Hanamura, manager of Super Kadoike Mishima Tamachi branch, said: "Even when new stock arrives, it sells out almost immediately. Supplies are not coming in sufficiently, and we are not receiving the quantities we ordered."
One customer who had finally managed to find garbage bags after searching multiple stores said: "I've been looking everywhere for about a week, so I'm relieved I could finally buy them."
Authorities in the region have also introduced temporary measures allowing household waste to be disposed of in transparent or semi-transparent bags where contents are visible.
At the same time, municipalities have stated that garbage bag supplies are expected to return to normal levels eventually, urging residents not to engage in panic buying or excessive stockpiling.
In Miyagi Prefecture, five cities and towns had already relaxed garbage disposal rules until May 19th, but officials have now decided to extend the measures until the end of June.
The impact is also spreading to Japan's furusato nozei hometown tax donation system.
According to hometown tax site Satofuru, donations involving household plastic wrap surged in April, with the number of donations increasing approximately 8.8 times compared with the same month a year earlier.
While the Middle East situation remains prolonged, Donald Trump expressed confidence on May 6th about negotiations with Iran aimed at ending the conflict, saying there was "a very good chance" of reaching an agreement.
Source: FNN
