Price hikes decided on over 20,000 items in Japan so far this year

Price hikes have been decided for over 20,000 food and beverage items in Japan for this year so far, with the number crossing the threshold at a faster clip than last year, hitting a public already struggling with inflation, according to a credit research company.

A recent survey by Teikoku Databank Ltd. said that the price increases of products for household consumption are partly due to bird influenza that boosted egg prices and poor seaweed harvests.

The total number of items subject to price rises exceeded 20,000 three months earlier than last year, in July. If the rapid pace of the hikes ...