Group 1 - In October, the number of food and beverage price increases in Japan is expected to exceed 3,000, marking a significant rise from 2,989 reported in late August [1] - The price increase is attributed to rising raw material costs, logistics, and labor expenses, with notable examples including Coca-Cola's price hike from 194 yen to 216 yen per 500ml bottle [1] - The price of rice products is also expected to rise significantly, with packaged rice potentially increasing by up to 17% due to high rice prices [1] Group 2 - The average price of rice in Japanese supermarkets remains high, with a reported average of 4,246 yen for 5 kilograms, maintaining above 4,000 yen for three consecutive weeks [2] - Retailers are concerned that high rice prices may lead consumers to reduce purchases, impacting profit margins, while budget-conscious consumers are opting for cheaper 2024 crop rice [2] - The Japanese government is set to terminate electricity and gas subsidies that had been in place to alleviate costs for households, which previously saved families around 1,000 yen per month [2] Group 3 - In 2023, Japan experienced a significant "price hike wave," with over 32,000 food items seeing price increases, the highest in 30 years, driven by rising raw material costs and yen depreciation [3] - The total number of price-increased items in Japan is projected to exceed 12,520 from the previous year, potentially reaching around 20,000 [3] - The trend of price increases is expected to continue into 2025, fueled by rising service-related costs [3]