Latest news with #internalaffairsministry
NHK
4 days ago
- Business
- NHK
Japan household spendng down as consumers skip big-ticket items
Household spending in Japan fell slightly in April as consumers refrained from buying big-ticket items like home appliances. An internal affairs ministry survey shows households of two or more people spent an average of about 325,717 yen, or over 2,200 dollars. That was down 0.1 percent from a year earlier in yen terms when adjusted for inflation. It was the first drop in two months. Spending on furniture and household goods declined 0.4 percent. Appliances such as air conditioners, washing machines and microwaves saw lower demand as consumers stayed budget conscious. Purchases of clothes and footwear dropped 2.1 percent. Unseasonably cold weather was said to dampen sales. Food expenditures rose 0.3 percent. That was the first increase in eight months. People bought more fresh vegetables including lettuce and tomatoes as their prices began to fall. Rice purchases also rose despite surging prices.
NHK
23-05-2025
- Business
- NHK
Japan's rice price shoots up 98% in April, driving CPI higher
A record surge in the price of rice drove Japan's consumer inflation higher in April. The country's staple crop nearly doubled in price compared to the same month a year earlier. The internal affairs ministry says the 98.4 percent jump was the highest since the government started keeping comparable data in 1971. It was 6.3 points higher than in March, extending a record for the seventh-straight month. Japan's consumers paid more for popular rice-based dishes. Onigiri rice balls were up 18.1 percent and restaurant sushi increased 5 percent. Overall, Japan's consumer price index rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier. It was the fifth-straight month for the reading to be at or above 3 percent. Egg prices rose 10 percent due to a series of bird-flu outbreaks throughout Japan. Beer was up 4.6 percent. Households paid 13.5 percent more on their electricity bills and 4.7 percent for city gas. Those rises came after the government cut back on energy subsidies.
Japan Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan household spending slides 0.1% in FY2024
Household spending in fiscal 2024, which ended in March, dropped 0.1% from the previous year in price-adjusted real terms, down for the second straight year, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. The average monthly consumption expenditure of households consisting of two or more members stood at ¥304,178 ($2,094). The decrease reflects sustained inflation, which is making consumers more budget-minded on food. Spending on food fell 1.0% mainly because consumers tended to refrain from buying vegetables, seaweed, meat and fruits. Expenditures on rice were up 1.1%, reflecting rising prices. Transport- and telecommunication-related expenses logged a 2.6% decrease as shipments of some vehicle models were suspended because of testing scandals in the automotive sector. Expenditures were down 1.4% for furniture and household items, 1.9% for clothes and shoes, and 1.5% for culture and entertainment goods and services. Due to inflation, the average total consumption spending marked the highest level in 22 years. The Engel's coefficient, or the share of food in overall consumption spending, stood at 28.3%, the highest level since fiscal 1981. In March alone, household consumption spending averaged ¥339,232, up 2.1% from a year earlier, marking the first increase in two months. Expenditures on utility services rose due to an increase in spending on heating attributable to falls in temperatures. Culture and entertainment spending grew on the back of increased replacement demand for personal computers.
