Rice prices in Tokyo rose sharply in October for the first time since 1971.

Prices of Japanese staple rice rose 62.3% year-on-year in Tokyo in October, the Ministry of National Affairs said in a preliminary statistical report.
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This is the highest figure since 1971, when statistics began to be kept in their current form. This is due to rising fertilizer prices and labor costs.

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In August-September, there was a shortage of rice in Tokyo stores, which simply disappeared from store shelves. At first this was explained by the rush demand for rice and other products amid warnings about a possible earthquake in the Nankai fault area, then by a poor harvest. In September, the appearance of bags of rice was accompanied by advertisements “One piece per hand.”

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In October, when rice reappeared in sufficient quantities, buyers were in for an unpleasant surprise: its price rose on average by about one and a half times compared to last year’s prices.

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At the same time, the annual growth in consumer prices in Tokyo in October amounted to 1.8%.