Japon L'Inflation Alimentaire

Food prices in Japan rose 6.5% year-on-year in May 2025, matching April’s pace while remaining at the slowest increase since December. Most food components continued to see price gains: cereals (28.7% vs 27.4% in April), fish and seafood (4.3% vs 4.6%), meat (6.2% vs 5.0%), dairy products and eggs (4.3% vs 3.4%), fresh fruits (4.0% vs 5.5%), oils, fats, and seasonings (1.3% vs 0.3%), cakes and candies (7.4% vs 7.7%), prepared foods (6.4% vs 5.3%), beverages (7.1% vs 6.7%), alcoholic drinks (4.6% vs 3.8%), and meals eaten out (4.4% vs 4.1%). In contrast, fresh vegetable prices fell for the first time since June 2023 (-4.7% vs 2.5%). As for staple foods, rice prices more than doubled, up 101.7% yoy, the steepest pace in over half a century, highlighting the limited effectiveness of government measures aimed at curbing rising costs.