Food prices in Japan increased by 5.1% year-on-year in December 2025, slowing from a 6.1% gain in the previous month and marking the slowest rise since November 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (14.7% vs 15.8% in November), beverages (7.7% vs 8.4%), cakes and candies (8.6% vs 8.8%), meals eaten out (4.0% vs 4.2%), and prepared foods (5.7% vs 6.3%). At the same time, prices of fresh vegetables fell for the first time in six months (-7.1% vs 1.2%). Among staples, rice prices increased 34.4% from a year earlier, slowing from a 37.1% rise in November and posting the slowest increase in 16 months amid Tokyo’s ongoing efforts to ease persistent upward pressure on staple food costs. Simultaneously, fresh fruit prices fell further (-5.8% vs -3.5%). In contrast, inflation accelerated for dairy products and eggs (7.8% vs 7.7%), oils, fats, and seasonings (4.5% vs 4.2%), meat (4.7% vs 4.3%), fish and seafood (6.6% vs 5.8%), and alcoholic beverages (4.7% vs. 4.9%). source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications

Cost of food in Japan increased 5.10 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Food Inflation in Japan averaged 2.83 percent from 1971 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 31.60 percent in February of 1974 and a record low of -3.70 percent in November of 1999. This page provides the latest reported value for - Japan Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Japan Food Inflation - values, historical data and charts - was last updated on February of 2026.

Cost of food in Japan increased 5.10 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Food Inflation in Japan is expected to be 3.60 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Food Inflation is projected to trend around 2.20 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Related Last Previous Unit Reference
CPI Clothes and Footwear 112.70 113.30 points Dec 2025
Inflation Rate Ex-Food and Energy YoY 2.90 3.00 percent Dec 2025
CPI Education 95.60 95.60 points Dec 2025
CPI Food 128.80 128.60 points Dec 2025
CPI Housing Utilities 104.50 104.50 points Dec 2025
CPI Recreation and Culture 116.80 116.80 points Dec 2025
CPI Transportation and Communication 100.00 101.00 points Dec 2025
Food Inflation 5.10 6.10 percent Dec 2025
Goods Inflation 2.70 4.00 percent Dec 2025
Inflation Rate YoY 2.10 2.90 percent Dec 2025
Inflation Rate MoM -0.10 0.30 percent Dec 2025
Rent Inflation 0.50 0.40 percent Dec 2025
Services Inflation 1.40 1.60 percent Dec 2025
Tokyo Core CPI YoY 2.00 2.30 percent Jan 2026
Tokyo CPI YoY 1.50 2.00 percent Jan 2026
Tokyo CPI Ex Food and Energy YoY 2.00 2.30 percent Jan 2026


Japan Food Inflation
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.10 6.10 31.60 -3.70 1971 - 2025 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Food Prices Rise the Least in 13 Months
Food prices in Japan increased by 5.1% year-on-year in December 2025, slowing from a 6.1% gain in the previous month and marking the slowest rise since November 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (14.7% vs 15.8% in November), beverages (7.7% vs 8.4%), cakes and candies (8.6% vs 8.8%), meals eaten out (4.0% vs 4.2%), and prepared foods (5.7% vs 6.3%). At the same time, prices of fresh vegetables fell for the first time in six months (-7.1% vs 1.2%). Among staples, rice prices increased 34.4% from a year earlier, slowing from a 37.1% rise in November and posting the slowest increase in 16 months amid Tokyo’s ongoing efforts to ease persistent upward pressure on staple food costs. Simultaneously, fresh fruit prices fell further (-5.8% vs -3.5%). In contrast, inflation accelerated for dairy products and eggs (7.8% vs 7.7%), oils, fats, and seasonings (4.5% vs 4.2%), meat (4.7% vs 4.3%), fish and seafood (6.6% vs 5.8%), and alcoholic beverages (4.7% vs. 4.9%).
2026-01-22
Japan Food Prices Rise the Least in a Year
Food prices in Japan increased by 6.1% year-on-year in November 2025, slowing from a 6.4% gain in the previous month and marking the softest rise since November 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (15.8% vs 16.8% in October), fresh vegetables (1.2% vs 0.7%), dairy products and eggs (7.7% vs 7.8%), oils, fats, and seasonings (4.2% vs 4.4%), beverages (8.4% vs 8.7%), cakes and candies (8.8% vs 9.5%), meals eaten out (4.2% vs 4.3%), and prepared foods (6.3% vs 6.5%). Among staples, rice prices increased 37.1% year-on-year, slowing from a 40.2% rise in October and posting the slowest increase in 15 months amid Tokyo’s ongoing efforts to mitigate persistent upward pressure on staple food costs. Simultaneously, fresh fruit prices fell (-3.5% vs 2.2%). In contrast, inflation accelerated for meat (4.3% vs. 3.7%), fish and seafood (5.8% vs. 4.8%), and alcoholic beverages (4.8% vs. 4.6%).
2025-12-18
Japan Food Prices Rise the Least in 10 Months
Food prices in Japan increased by 6.4% year-on-year in October 2025, easing from a 6.7% gain in the previous month and marking the softest rise since December 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (16.8% vs 18.0% in September), meats (3.7% vs 4.8%), fresh vegetables (0.7% vs 2.4%), dairy products and eggs (7.8% vs 8.5%), beverages (8.7% vs 10.1%), and cakes and candies (9.5% vs 12.2%). Among staples, rice prices increased 40.2% year-on-year, slowing from a 44.2% rise in September and registering the slowest rise since December 2024 amid Tokyo’s continued efforts to curb persistent upward pressure on staple food costs. Meanwhile, inflation quickened for fresh fruits (2.2% vs 2.0%), fish and seafood (4.8% vs 2.9%), oils, fats, and seasonings (4.4% vs 2.6%), meals eaten out (4.3% vs 4.1%), alcoholic drinks (4.6% vs 4.1%), and prepared foods (6.5% vs 6.1%).
2025-11-20