Food prices in Japan rose 4.0% year-on-year in February 2026, slightly accelerating from a 3.9% increase in the prior month. Despite the uptick, price growth remained close to its slowest pace since October 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (7.3% vs 12.0% in January), meats (3.7% vs 3.8%), fish and seafood (7.2% vs 7.9%), cakes and candies (8.1% vs 8.2%), meals eaten out (3.7% vs 3.9%), and prepared foods (4.9% vs 5.0%). At the same time, prices continued to decline for fresh vegetables (-9.0% vs -14.0%) and fresh fruit (-10.7% vs -10.4%). Among staples, rice prices increased 17.1% from a year earlier, notably slowing from a 27.9% rise in January and posting the slowest increase in 21 months following efforts from Tokyo to ease persistent upward pressure seen last year. Simultaneously, inflation accelerated for dairy products and eggs (7.5% vs 7.4%), oils, fats, and seasonings (5.3% vs 4.8%), beverages (9.1% vs 7.8%), and alcoholic beverages (5.0% vs 4.9%). source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications

Cost of food in Japan increased 4 percent in February of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Food Inflation in Japan averaged 2.83 percent from 1971 until 2026, 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 March of 2026.

Cost of food in Japan increased 4 percent in February of 2026 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 111.20 111.20 points Feb 2026
Inflation Rate Ex-Food and Energy YoY 2.50 2.60 percent Feb 2026
CPI Education 95.80 95.60 points Feb 2026
CPI Food 129.00 129.50 points Feb 2026
CPI Housing Utilities 104.60 104.60 points Feb 2026
CPI Recreation and Culture 115.80 115.20 points Feb 2026
CPI Transportation and Communication 99.80 99.70 points Feb 2026
Food Inflation 4.00 3.90 percent Feb 2026
Goods Inflation 1.20 1.60 percent Feb 2026
Inflation Rate YoY 1.30 1.50 percent Feb 2026
Inflation Rate MoM -0.20 -0.20 percent Feb 2026
Rent Inflation 0.50 0.50 percent Feb 2026
Services Inflation 1.40 1.40 percent Feb 2026
Tokyo Core CPI YoY 1.80 2.00 percent Feb 2026
Tokyo CPI YoY 1.60 1.50 percent Feb 2026
Tokyo CPI Ex Food and Energy YoY 1.80 2.00 percent Feb 2026


Japan Food Inflation
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
4.00 3.90 31.60 -3.70 1971 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Food Inflation Lingers Near 15-Month Low
Food prices in Japan rose 4.0% year-on-year in February 2026, slightly accelerating from a 3.9% increase in the prior month. Despite the uptick, price growth remained close to its slowest pace since October 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (7.3% vs 12.0% in January), meats (3.7% vs 3.8%), fish and seafood (7.2% vs 7.9%), cakes and candies (8.1% vs 8.2%), meals eaten out (3.7% vs 3.9%), and prepared foods (4.9% vs 5.0%). At the same time, prices continued to decline for fresh vegetables (-9.0% vs -14.0%) and fresh fruit (-10.7% vs -10.4%). Among staples, rice prices increased 17.1% from a year earlier, notably slowing from a 27.9% rise in January and posting the slowest increase in 21 months following efforts from Tokyo to ease persistent upward pressure seen last year. Simultaneously, inflation accelerated for dairy products and eggs (7.5% vs 7.4%), oils, fats, and seasonings (5.3% vs 4.8%), beverages (9.1% vs 7.8%), and alcoholic beverages (5.0% vs 4.9%).
2026-03-23
Japan Food Prices Rise the Least in 15 Months
Food prices in Japan increased by 3.9% year-on-year in January 2026, slowing from a 5.1% gain in the previous month and marking the slowest rise since October 2024. Costs moderated for cereals (12.0% vs 14.7% in December), meats (3.8% vs 4.7%), dairy products and eggs (7.4% vs 7.8%), cakes and candies (8.2% vs 8.6%), meals eaten out (3.9% vs 4.0%), and prepared foods (5.0% vs 5.7%). At the same time, prices fell much steeper for fresh vegetables (-14.0% vs -7.1%) and fresh fruit (-10.4% vs -5.8%). Among staples, rice prices increased 27.9% from a year earlier, slowing from a 34.4% rise in December and posting the slowest increase in 18 months amid continued efforts from Tokyo to cool persistent upward pressure on staple food costs. Simultaneously, inflation accelerated for fish and seafood (7.9% vs 6.6%), oils, fats, and seasonings (4.8% vs 4.5%), beverages (7.8% vs 7.7%), and alcoholic beverages (4.9% vs 4.7%).
2026-02-19
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