October is shaping up to be a challenging month for Japanese consumers.
Driven by rising raw material and labour costs, prices for over 3,000 food and beverage items are expected to increase, marking the largest wave of hikes in the past six months.
Adding to household pressures, automobile insurance premiums are set to rise and the three-month subsidies for electricity and gas will conclude at the end of September, further intensifying the cost-of-living burden.
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. is set to raise car insurance premiums by an average of around 8.5% in October, citing rising repair costs and increased payouts from natural disasters. This will be the company’s second premium hike since January.
Meanwhile, Sompo Holdings and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. plan to increase their car insurance premiums by 6% to 7.5% on average starting January 2026.