October 1, 2024 - Inflation Panic!

 Prices keep going up! The economy is really going crazy. I don't want to say its "bad" but things are more expensive than before!

The news was that on October 1st 3,000+ items increased in price! 

Its not like this is the first time! Prices have increased constatly since 2021! 

Prices do change all the time, but its so slow we do not usully notice it. This change is actually very shocking. The post office is raising rates for the first time since 1994! That is 30 years without a change!

When I came to Japan 20 years ago, people told me one great thing about Japan is that there was no inflation. If you look at movies and TV shows from the 1980s, the prices of things are   were the same as they were are today in 2013.

I think the trouble started 10 years ago, when the sales tax increased from 5% to 8%. You might be too young to remember but the prices of many things were "one coin." Small things like snacks were 100 yen, larger things like bentos were 500 yen. All prices ended with 0 or 00. Tax was never mentioned on the package. It was included but never thought about. After that, I saw prices go up and the numbers were crazy! No more 00! I needed to carry a lot of change! T=T

The sales tax is now 10%!! Why so much? Will it become 12-15-20-35% in the future?!?!

What is worse is Shrinkflation! Do you know this word?

The box of food gets smaller but the price stays the same. I see this with 900ml milk, all the time. But there are many other things too! 

How do you feel about all of this? Share your opinion and leave 1 link about it.