Japan to face price hikes on over 3,000 food items in October

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The prices of 3,153 food and beverage items in Japan are set to rise next month as higher packaging costs stemming from the Middle East conflict and a weaker yen continue to hit household budgets, a research firm's survey showed Wednesday. The increases in October will follow price hikes for 4,965 items in September, according to Teikoku Databank Ltd., which described the two months as another "wave of price hikes.