The combination of intense heat, yen depreciation, and rising prices has driven Japan’s wholesale pork prices to a record high, with the cost per kilogram surpassing 700 yen. This surge has led to significantly higher pork prices in supermarkets and restaurants.

TOKYO, JAPAN (Merxwire) – Japanese cuisine is synonymous with dishes like fried pork cutlets, pork shabu-shabu, and pork curry, all of which rely heavily on pork. However, due to the extreme heat, the yen’s depreciation, and inflation, pork has become increasingly sought after. Wholesale prices have reached an all-time high, exceeding 700 yen per kilogram, causing a sharp rise in the cost of fresh pork, pork products, and restaurant pork dishes. This has substantially increased household grocery bills and dining-out expenses.

Tokyo recently experienced its longest heatwave on record, which stunted pig growth and reduced supply. Combined with rising costs and a weaker yen, the prices of both domestic and imported pork in Japan have soared. According to the Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, pork prices have increased from 600 yen to 710 yen per kilogram over the past three years, the highest level since records began in 2002.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, because last summer’s high temperatures caused pigs to reproduce poorly or abort, the number of pigs slaughtered this summer was lower than last year, which drove up pork prices. More importantly, the weather this summer has been hot. The continuous heat has left the pigs with insufficient food and poor growth, resulting in tight supply and demand, which is also a factor in the price increase.

Previously, Katsuya, a tonkatsu specialty store, was affected by the increase in raw material prices, so it adjusted the prices of some products on March 8. The pork cutlet bowl was raised from 540 yen (594 yen including tax) to 560 yen (616 yen including tax). The pork cutlet rice bowl has been increased from 540 yen (594 yen including tax) to 560 yen (616 yen including tax). Many restaurants also said that the purchase price of Pork in June increased by about 20-30% compared with the same month last year, so many pork meals also increased in July.

An interviewed customer at the supermarket said: “Pork is much cheaper than beef, so I buy Pork most often. But Pork is getting increasingly expensive, so I can only reduce the amount I buy or use other ingredients instead.” In the tonkatsu specialty store, a student dining in the restaurant said, “I like fried pork cutlets very much. I used to eat it once a week, but after the price increase, I have reduced it to once every two weeks or switched to fried chicken meals.”

In addition to the weakening of the Japanese yen, rising prices and transportation costs have caused the prices of various raw materials and many familiar ingredients to rise. People often choose to adjust the frequency of dining out or change cooking methods and ingredients. Understanding the price trends of various food ingredients will effectively save you living expenses.