Prices of Japan's staple rice rose by 62.3% year-on-year in October in the capital Tokyo, according to a preliminary statistical report from the country's internal affairs ministry.

This is the highest indicator since 1971, when the statistics began to be kept in Japan in their current form.

This increase is due to the rise in fertilizer prices and labor costs.

In August-September, there was a shortage of rice in the stores of Tokyo, which simply disappeared from the store shelves. This was initially attributed to rush demand for rice and some other commodities amid warnings of a possible earthquake in the Nankai Trough, and then to poor harvests.

The appearance of rice bags in September was accompanied by the ad "One piece in one hand."

In October, when rice was again in sufficient quantity in Japan, the buyers were in for an unpleasant surprise: compared to the prices of the previous year, its price had risen by about 1.5 times on average.

Also, the annual growth of consumer prices in Tokyo is 1.8% so far in October.