> In Japan, there's a big issue when a snack raises its price 2 cents
No, there really isn't. You're looking at one company that "apologized" as a marketing play but outside of that prices have been increasing with no fanfare for years now. The annual inflation rate has been 2-3% for the past 4 years. It's a lot less interesting to write a news article about that though.
Yeah, and the price of rice has increased way more than that. Heat is making me too lazy to look it up so I wonder if it's gotten better in the past year. But Japanese people are very used to price increases.
Granted, accommodation is not one of them. Especially if you compare Tokyo to London, Paris or even Geneva.
Have you checked Tokyo hotel prices lately? Thanks to the travel boom they're through the roof as well: the business hotel that was Y10,000 before COVID is now twice that, and Western branded hotels that were Y30,000 or so are now Y100,000+.
That's a fair point. I reserved a business hotel in Tokyo for ¥113900 for 7 days during off-season. After conversion, it's still reasonable since you wouldn't find something with the same quality and convenience in the cities I mentioned.
But what I meant was accommodation for residents and not hotels. I would much rather have to find a flat and live in Tokyo rather than any other big city in the world.
For western reference, ¥100,000+ is $615+, or €540+.
Not cheap. I managed to find a room in SF for like $250 when I was looking, though you’d have to reserve it a week in advance. Is Tokyo really that expensive now?
So you're saying we understand it even less than todays rates lol. But your comment is definitely understood, it's crazy how things (particularly prices!) changed pre and post covid.
I think this is a bit disingenuous. Japan spent nearly all of the last 30 years needling deflation. If you take a look at the highest grossing movies of all time in Japan with and without adjusting for inflation, it barely changes. Do that for the US and it's an entirely different list.
Normal inflation for the last 4 years is basically still nothing in the grand scheme of things.
No, there really isn't. You're looking at one company that "apologized" as a marketing play but outside of that prices have been increasing with no fanfare for years now. The annual inflation rate has been 2-3% for the past 4 years. It's a lot less interesting to write a news article about that though.
https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/cpi/158c.html