Is Japan Getting More Expensive in 2026?

SUMMARY

In an "Interviewing Japan" street video in Osaka, diverse residents discuss surging 2026 living costs, incomes from 400万円 to 1000万円, and coping with food and rent hikes amid inflation.

STATEMENTS

• Osaka residents across professions report significant price increases in essentials like food and housing over the past 2-10 years, with many feeling the pinch despite varying incomes.
• Single parents and students with lower earnings, around 400万円 or 1070 yen hourly, struggle more but manage through strict budgeting and part-time work.
• Entrepreneurs face pressure to raise employee salaries to match inflation, recalling early business hardships including utility cutoffs due to tight finances.
• Elderly pensioners note food prices, especially rice up 50% and snacks 30-50%, have risen sharply since 2023, impacting staple diets.
• Foreign investment in real estate is pushing up rents and property values, making housing less affordable for locals in areas like Umeda.
• Daily items like convenience store onigiri have doubled from 100 yen to nearly 200 yen, symbolizing broader cost-of-living pressures.
• Some compare Japan favorably to Hawaii, finding local prices still relatively low internationally despite domestic inflation.
• Wage growth lags behind price rises, leading to reduced spending on leisure like travel and self-investment.
• Community and faith-based mutual aid helps mitigate economic stress, with people emphasizing giving time or support to others.
• Coping involves shifting to home cooking, bulk buying, and utility conservation to stretch limited budgets.

IDEAS

• McDonald's burgers, once 90 yen in childhood memories, now cost around 200 yen, making fast food less accessible for casual indulgence.
• Chocolate prices have doubled from 80 yen to nearly 200 yen, turning a simple treat into a reluctant luxury for enthusiasts.
• Rice, a Japanese dietary staple, has surged 50% in price, severely affecting households reliant on it for daily meals.
• Convenience store onigiri prices doubling from 100 to 200 yen highlights how small, frequent purchases compound inflation's impact.
• Foreign investors buying properties for investment purposes inflate rents and home prices, displacing local residents in urban areas like Osaka's Umeda.
• Even with salaries up to 800万円, parents worry about child-rearing costs like extracurriculars, feeling the era's child-rearing difficulties acutely.
• Entrepreneurs who started 10 years ago remember object prices roughly doubling, pressuring them to boost team pay amid business strains.
• Students earning 1070 yen per hour from part-time jobs surprisingly find it sufficient for basics in Osaka, contrasting adult struggles.
• Japan remains cheaper than Hawaii for groceries despite rises, offering perspective on global cost variations.
• Faith communities predict inflation will stabilize at a survivable level, drawing from biblical prophecies to maintain optimism.
• Elderly notice egg prices hitting 200+ yen without reversal after initial inflation excuses two years ago.
• Small shops and traditional markets have shuttered, forcing reliance on pricier supermarkets with annual hikes.
• Companies justify price gouging by blaming general inflation, raising suspicions of profiteering among consumers.
• Travel has become a hesitation point for many friends, with rising costs curbing domestic and international trips.
• Giving to others in tough times fosters reciprocal aid networks, reducing individual financial despair.

INSIGHTS

• Persistent inflation outpaces wage and pension adjustments, quietly eroding middle-class stability and amplifying future anxieties for young workers.
• Foreign capital's influx into housing markets creates a feedback loop of rising costs that prioritizes investors over residents' affordability.
• Everyday staples like rice and eggs becoming luxuries underscores how cultural dietary norms amplify economic pressures on vulnerable groups.
• Faith-driven community reciprocity transforms scarcity mindsets into shared resilience, proving social bonds as a buffer against material hardship.
• Seemingly minor price doublings in treats like chocolate accumulate psychological tolls, shifting consumer behaviors toward enforced frugality.
• International comparisons reveal Japan's relative affordability, suggesting domestic perceptions of crisis may overlook global contexts.

QUOTES

• "なんかマドとかも幼い頃とかはハンバーガーが90円とかだったんですけど、今はもう200円ぐらいになってて、もうちょっと手出しづらいな。"
• "コンビニのおにぎりとか昔で100円ポッキで買えたのが今は本当に200円弱ぐらいになってるのでそこはやっぱりああびたなって思いますね。"
• "お米が特にひどいですね。何割ぐらいの上昇なんですかね? えっとね、5割くらい上がってますね。"
• "チョコレートが大好きでチョコレートとか食べたいなって思ったらかすごいもう今までチョコが80円ぐらいで帰ってたんですけど最近もう200円近くまで上がってしまっててちょっと悲しいなって感じです。"
• "このままぶっカらかが進んでいくと自士の生活にはどんな影響あると思いますか? 苦しくなります。"

HABITS

• Bulk purchasing from business supermarkets and freezing extras to cut per-unit food costs.
• Strictly avoiding convenience stores except for essentials, opting instead for home-prepared meals.
• Conserving utilities like water and electricity to minimize monthly bills during inflation.
• Prioritizing family-cooked dinners over eating out to maintain nutrition without added expenses.
• Engaging in community giving and support networks to build reciprocal aid for tough times.

FACTS

• McDonald's hamburgers increased from 90 yen to about 200 yen over recent years.
• Convenience store onigiri prices rose from 100 yen to nearly 200 yen.
• Rice prices have climbed approximately 50% since 2023.
• Egg prices now exceed 200 yen per unit, up without decline after two years.
• Snacks and chocolates have seen 30-50% hikes, with chocolates doubling from 80 yen to 200 yen.
• Osaka rents in areas like Umeda are surging due to foreign investment.

REFERENCES

• Holy Bible (mentioned for prophecies on inflation and mutual aid).
• Anki Deck Guide (video link for language learning).
• Patreon for Interviewing Japan (access to vocabulary decks).
• Free Sample Deck on Google Drive.
• Kosodate Mynavi article on child-rearing costs.
• TikTok discover page for Interviewing Japan.

HOW TO APPLY

• Identify rising essentials like food and utilities, then track weekly spending to pinpoint inflation's impact on your budget.
• Switch to discount venues such as business supermarkets for bulk buys, portioning and freezing items to extend savings over months.
• Eliminate non-essential outer dining by planning home meals around affordable staples like rice alternatives or seasonal produce.
• Build a support circle through faith groups or friends, practicing small acts of giving to ensure reciprocal help during shortages.
• Conserve daily resources by monitoring and reducing utility use, such as shorter showers or efficient appliance habits, to free up funds for priorities.
• Evaluate housing options early, avoiding high-rent areas influenced by investors, and consider shared or peripheral locations for affordability.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Rising Japanese prices strain budgets, but smart habits and community ties foster resilience amid uncertainty.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Embrace bulk shopping at discount stores to combat food inflation without sacrificing variety.
• Cultivate contentment with current possessions to curb impulse buys on inflating luxuries.
• Strengthen mutual aid networks for emotional and financial support in prolonged economic squeezes.
• Limit travel and leisure spending, redirecting savings toward essential self-investment like skills.
• Question corporate price justifications, advocating for transparency to curb potential profiteering.

MEMO

In the bustling streets of Osaka, a recent street interview reveals a nation grappling with creeping inflation set to intensify by 2026. Residents from all walks—entrepreneurs earning around 1000万円, single mothers scraping by on 400万円, students at 1070 yen hourly, and pensioners—unanimously cite food and rent as the sharpest pain points. Rice has jumped 50%, eggs top 200 yen, and once-bargain McDonald's burgers now hover at 200 yen, doubling from childhood norms. Foreign investors snapping up properties in vibrant Umeda drive rents skyward, widening the gap between stagnant wages and soaring costs. Yet, many express resilience: one entrepreneur recalls surviving early business woes by sheer grit, while others pivot to bulk buys at discount supermarkets and home-cooked feasts to stretch budgets.

Despite the squeeze, optimism flickers through community bonds. Faith-inspired interviewees draw from the Bible's assurances that inflation will cap at survivable levels, urging mutual aid—giving time, resources, or empathy—to counter despair. "Object prices feel doubled in a decade," notes a business owner, echoing pressures to hike staff pay amid client demands. Parents fret over child-rearing extras like lessons, amid a "tough era" vibe, but Japan still feels cheaper than Hawaii trips, per one traveler. Coping mantras emerge: shun convenience stores, conserve utilities, and savor what's at hand. As 2023's hikes linger without reversal, the chorus warns of future hardships for young entrants, yet advocates proactive frugality over panic.

This microcosm of Osaka underscores broader anxieties: unchecked rises could deter travel, investments, and dreams, but shared strategies offer a lifeline. Biblical echoes of reciprocity—"help others to be helped"—remind that human connections might outlast economic storms, turning scarcity into solidarity.