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July 02, 2026
 

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INFLATION

Some are calling for the food tax rate to be set at 1% instead of fully shelving the tax, so that changes needed for cash register systems becomes easier and require less time.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 29, 2026
Food tax rate of 1% pitched as industries push back on PM’s campaign promise
Although the government aims to implement the two-year tax cut to 0% within fiscal 2026, it would take a year to make cash register systems compatible with such a rate.
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. Expectations of a rate increase cooled over the past few weeks in part due to the absence of clear signals from BOJ officials.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 28, 2026
Three dissents at BOJ policy board meeting suggest hawkishness ahead
The war in Iran was a factor in keeping the policy rate at 0.75% at the April meeting.
BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda, pictured here in March, said last week that the Iran war could fuel inflation while also potentially being a drag on growth.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 24, 2026
Bank of Japan set to hold rates steady, with Iran war a factor
Forecasts have changed significantly in recent weeks as conflict continues and the price of oil remains high.
Pan Pacific International Holdings, the owner of discount chain Don Quijote, opened its first Robin Hood store, a new food-focused chain, in Aichi Prefecture on Friday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 24, 2026
Don Quijote owner opens discount grocer as Japan inflation bites
With food and daily necessities becoming more expensive in Japan, the company is betting fast, cheap and convenient offerings will drive traffic at stores designed for quick trips.
An online survey from March shows that 41.2% of respondents had no plans for the Golden Week holiday period.
JAPAN
Apr 22, 2026
Average Golden Week holiday budget falls to ¥27,660
In addition to the smaller outlays, 40% of survey respondents reporting no holiday plans.
Karex, the world’s biggest maker of condoms, produces for brands like Durex as well as its own line of specialty condoms.
BUSINESS
Apr 22, 2026
Iran war has boosted costs of energy, food and now condoms
The surge in costs underscores how the war is disrupting virtually every aspect of life for consumers.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi enters the Prime Minister's Office on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 21, 2026
Takaichi marks six months in office as prime minister
The leader’s administration will now face issues that could cause controversy, such as the criminalizing of acts to damage the national flag.
Waterfront residential buildings in Tokyo. New condominium prices in the capital hit a record high in the year that ended in March.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 21, 2026
Tokyo condo prices hit record high in fiscal 2025
Condo prices may climb even further as tensions in the Middle East are making it difficult to procure oil-derived products.
Seria President Eiji Kawai says customers are shifting from competitors to the company’s more than 2,000 stores offering snacks, stationery and household goods.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 16, 2026
Japan ¥100 retailer Seria doubles down while rivals raise prices
While competitors test higher price tiers, Seria is betting it can attract cost-conscious consumers and reinforce its brand as prices rise across the economy.
Rahul Anand during an interview at the International Monetary Fund's headquarters in Washington on Wednesday
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 16, 2026
BOJ urged to keep clear message on policy as war clouds outlook
Anand’s remarks come ahead of the BOJ’s closely watched April 27-28 meeting, with markets still seeing a slim chance of a rate hike.
The Bank of Japan’s board will likely discuss lifting its key price projection for this fiscal year after oil prices surged roughly 50% since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 15, 2026
BOJ could raise price outlook sharply on oil shock, central bank watchers say
Uncertainty over the Middle East conflict will also likely lead officials to consider lowering the economic growth forecast.
Trade minister Ryosei Akazawa said Bank of Japan policy could be used to strengthen the yen and curb rising prices, as the central bank considers a rate hike to counter inflation driven by the Iran war.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 12, 2026
BOJ policy to boost yen could be an option to curb inflation, minister says
The central bank weighs raising interest rates this month to ​counter inflation spurred by the Iran war.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda holds at news conferece in Tokyo on March 19.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 11, 2026
Bank of Japan wary of inflation pressure amid war in Middle East
The BOJ is expected to face difficulties steering its monetary policy, as raising interest rates to contain inflation could cool the economy.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi raises her hand to answer questions regarding the situation in the Middle East at an Upper House Budget Committee session at parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 11, 2026
Confusion over naphtha supply hits industries and households
Japan relies on the Middle East for about 40% of its naphtha consumption. Additionally, about 40% of domestically produced naphtha is refined from crude oil mainly from the region.
The impact of the Middle East crisis on producer prices has begun to show itself in Japan as gasoline prices are on the rise amid higher crude oil prices.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 10, 2026
Producer prices in Japan rise 2.6% in March
The impact of the Middle East crisis on producer prices has begun to appear as gasoline prices are on the rise amid higher crude oil prices.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she is in close contact with Group of Seven counterparts.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 7, 2026
Japanese bond rout continues, taking 10-year yields to a 27-year high
Fiscal worries and inflationary pressures are being made worse by the war in the Middle East and oil shortage concerns.
Japan’s household spending fell for a third consecutive month in February, dropping 1.8% year-on-year despite real wages turning positive, highlighting weak domestic demand.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 7, 2026
Japan’s households cut spending even after real wages advance
Outlays by households adjusted for inflation fell 1.8% in February from a year earlier, a faster decline compared with January’s 1% retreat.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva at the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 23
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 7, 2026
Middle East war means ‘all roads’ lead to higher prices and slower growth, IMF chief says
Even if the conflict is swiftly resolved, the International Monetary Fund is set ‌to reduce its growth forecast and bump up its outlook for inflation.
The Bank of Japan's headquarters in Tokyo. Recent commentary from the central bank suggests it doesn’t want to paint itself into a corner three weeks ahead of its next decision on April 28.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 6, 2026
BOJ keeps options open by citing dual risks in regional reports
Traders see a roughly 66% chance of a rate hike this month, according to pricing in the overnight swaps market, as the war in Iran could raise upside inflation risks for Japan.
A tanker loads crude oil at a national storage base in Fukuoka Prefecture on March 27. Official efforts to curb consumption in Japan could be needed by the summer if oil imports coming from the Strait of Hormuz have not resumed.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Apr 5, 2026
Gasoline, diapers and drinks: Japan faces wide-ranging impact amid concern over oil
The government has assured the public that the supply of crude oil is sufficient for now, but efforts to curb consumption could be needed if the situation doesn’t improve.
More facilities in Japan placing sanitary bins in men’s restrooms
A sanitary bin with an awareness sticker placed in a men's restroom in the Nagasaki Municipal Government building
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Reform panel calls for easing data center building standards
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized that the government will promote reforms of regulations and systems that fit the artificial intelligence era.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.

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