Japan’s salarymen turn to cheaper options as rise in food prices bite

Around 40 per cent of respondents in one survey said they budget about “500 yen to no more than 1,000 yen” on average for one lunch. - AFP

TOKYO: The Japanese kanji character that was picked as character of the year in 2023 was “zei”.

It means “tax”, and perfectly reflects the mood in the country amid tax hikes and increasing concerns about the cost of living there.