Japan inflation slows in August, rice price surges ease | Business

TOKYO, Sept 19, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Inflation in Japan slowed to 2.7 percent in August due partly to government energy subsidies, official data showed Friday, with the cost of rice easing following a huge price spike. Inflation continues to be driven by rice prices, which increased by 68.8 percent year-on-year in August after surges of around 100 percent in June and 90.7 percent in July. Voters angry about rising rice costs have deserted the long-dominant ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and this month an under-pressure Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced he would step down after his coalition lost its majority in both chambers. Rice prices have skyrocketed because of supply problems linked to a very hot summer in 2023 and panic-buying...