Group 1 - The core point of the article highlights a significant increase in food prices in Japan, with the number of price hikes reaching 1,932 types in June, approximately three times that of the same period last year [1][3]. - In Saitama Prefecture, the price of popular instant rice has risen by over 10%, with around 116 types of rice-related products experiencing price increases this month [3][5]. - The most affected category in the price hikes is condiments, accounting for nearly half of the total number of price-increased food items [3]. Group 2 - Japan's core Consumer Price Index (CPI) has consistently shown a year-on-year increase of over 3% this year, surpassing the Bank of Japan's target of 2% [7]. - In April, the core CPI rose by 3.5%, marking the largest increase in over two years, with rice prices soaring by 98.4%, setting a record for seven consecutive months [7]. - A forecast suggests that the total number of food price increases in Japan for the year could exceed 20,000, surpassing last year's figures [7].