High Rice Prices and Shortage of Supplies Traditional Japanese rice shops are facing operational difficulties

Golden Ten Data reported on June 8 that in an interview, it was found that the current round of rice prices has skyrocketed in addition to making ordinary consumers spend more, and traditional Japanese rice shops run by small companies have also been impacted. Due to the lack of access to rice and the continuous rise in purchase costs, more and more small traditional rice shops are struggling to retain customers. According to the latest statistics from a Japanese research agency, in the 2024 fiscal year ending at the end of March this year, the number of rice store closures in Japan increased by 10% compared to the previous fiscal year, and 47.6% of rice stores experienced business deterioration. The pollster predicts that the number of bankruptcies at rice stores in Japan is likely to continue to increase in fiscal 2025 due to tighter rice supplies.