Market Updates
Japan's Panic Rice Buying Accelerates Core Inflation In April
Akira Ito
23 May, 2025
Tokyo
Japan's market indexes traded higher and trimmed weekly losses as investors shifted their focus to the economy and global trade outlook.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average increased 0.5%, the broader Topix gained 0.7%, and investors reviewed the latest update on inflation.
Consumer price inflation held steady at 3.6% in April, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported Friday.
The annual rate of inflation was steady and remained at the slowest pace since December, and the core rate of inflation advanced to 3.5% from 3.2% in March.
On a monthly basis, food prices rose at a slower pace of 0.1% compared to the 0.3% rate in March.
Food prices rose at a slower pace of 6.5% compared to 7.4% in the previous month, after the government took measures to contain prices that have doubled over the past year.
Japan's rice prices started soaring last summer and surged to twice the normal level after a warning about a possible "megaquake" set in motion panic buying.
In April, rice prices are 98.4% higher compared to a year ago, and the government's efforts to release emergency reserves so far have failed to calm demand and lower prices.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 0.5% to 37,167.79, and the broader Topix index advanced 0.7% to 2,735.92.
Industrial stocks led the most actively traded stocks in Tokyo.
IHI Corp. added 0.6% to ¥13,835.0, Fujikura Ltd. rose 4.3% to ¥6,218.0, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries advanced 5.2% to ¥3,204.0.
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