Amount of rice bought by Japan households up despite soaring prices

The amount of rice a household in Japan bought in 2024 rose 6.3 percent from a year earlier despite soaring prices, government data showed Saturday, as fears of a shortage of the main staple likely prompted consumers to purchase more.The growth in the volume of rice bought by households with two or more people marked the first increase since 2020 when demand rose as many consumers stayed home during the COVID-19 pandemic.The quantity of rice purchased per household last year reached 60.20 kilograms, up 3.55 kg from 2023, according to an analysis of consumer spending data from the Ministry o…READ FULL ARTICLE