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The Japan Times
Lawson to cut rice ball prices in Japan as costs ease
Beginning September 29, convenience store chain Lawson will lower the prices of its onigiri rice balls by ¥10 in response to decreasing rice procurement costs. This follows a period of increased rice prices due to supply shortages, which necessitated price hikes across various sectors. Currently, rice inventories are at their highest since 2009, indicating an improving supply landscape.
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Published 24 Aug 2026, 07:45 UTC1 min read
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Summary
TL;DR
- Lawson to cut onigiri prices by ¥10 starting Sept. 29
- Expectations for cheaper rice procurement lead to price reduction
- Rice prices surged last year due to supply shortages
- Private inventories of brown rice reached 2.43 million metric tons
- Average price of rice has fallen 28% since January peak
Interesting facts
- Japanese rice supply is at its highest midyear level since 2009
- Lawson has been privately owned by Mitsubishi Corp. and KDDI since 2024
What changed
Lawson is reducing the price of its rice balls due to improved rice supply and declining market prices.