Price increases weigh on Japan as wage hikes fall short

A February consumer survey in Japan found that 86 per cent of respondents were feeling the burden due to rising prices. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
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TOKYO - Ms Chiaki Hiratsuka cannot see any end in sight to the escalating prices in Japan – dubbed by the media as a “price surge rush” – that have hit everything from groceries to daily necessities, and from gasoline to utilities.

The 44-year-old housewife, who runs a popular blog offering advice on how best to maximise savings, told The Straits Times that the price surge can easily be felt and fears that it will squeeze low-to-middle income households.

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