Possibly contrary to popular belief, milk and bread are also staples in Japan… everyday expenses that a caring government should only tax lightly if at all.
Well, the GOVERNMENT is going to raise the wheat prices it sells to millers by 30% which will send up the prices of udon, ramen, pasta, and of course the everpresent bread. This is comming even after a small rise in prices in April and previously in October.
Milk, and even soy sauce prices are also expected to continue rising.
Hopefully the voting public in Japan will start to take a look at where all their tax money (and mine) is going, and put a stop to inappropriate uses of tax revenues.
A side note to this is that they raise taxes and prices and give a lot of reasons, but still haven’t solved the all the problems with the national pensions, illegal payouts to pension beaurocrats, lost pensions, as well as the illegal uses of gasoline taxes for karaoke machines and massage chairs, and the crazy expenses of public officials (receipts submitted for taxi rides from Hokkaido to Tokyo which were probably never actually taken)… but I digress… or do I?
Here’s a reference article in the Japan Times Online for the Bread and Milk price story: