It is difficult to rely on producers to stabilize prices because products for the dining table are in high demand and their prices can fluctuate widely even with small changes in supply. When the harvest is low, consumers might have to lower their consumption behavior such as by purchasing fewer items.

Despite advances in technology, transportation, harvesting, production, and distribution, somehow this inflation spiking issue, which hasn't happened in multiple decades, is suddenly "difficult" to manage.

@divinda

Covid repatriations (and Brexit) followed by restrictions on incoming migrant labour have gutted the globalised trade network of staff at multiple pinch points. Trade only works if you allow it to. Governments are restricting it with more paperwork, more rules, restrictions on payment, moving us from a low cost, low inflation, easy availability, optimised and globalised economy, to an artificially restricted, high cost, high inflation one. It reduces emissions, supports border blocks and reduces the movement of people and trade across borders. The shift to digitisation requires static populations within borders. Migrant labour and tourism complicate this. The sanctions are directed at us as much as they are at China and Russia. Expect more restrictions to reduce the movement of goods and people across borders, higher prices and more shortages or pretty much everything from food to medical care.

It may be wise to buy things you will need in the next year sooner rather than later, and ensure that you have a supply of stuff in stock, rather than expecting it to be available when you need it.

art of saying too much and saying-nothing.

Get the JA out of the loop for a start, can’t think of a 1st world economy that has a food filter comparable to the JA.

When the harvest is low, consumers might have to lower their consumption behavior such as by purchasing fewer items.

And the average Taro-kun is adequately informed/educated to know about how low the harvest is for certain products...??? Nah!

Get the JA out of the loop for a start, can’t think of a 1st world economy that has a food filter comparable to the JA.

Absolutely not - JA is a proper safety net for local producers and I've seen it in action. Without it, Japan would become even more dependent on unfriendly countries (such as China) for its critical supplies of produce such as rice.

JA is the mafia of agriculture in Japan. They only allow x amount of land for rice planting on each farm the rest of the land can x amount for green vegetables or green tea, x amount for squash and pumpkin, and the rest must be left empty.

Go against their "guidelines" and some how your crops just get destroyed by vagrants or animals.

In other words, "Hey we at JA would hate hate to see your crops get done in, so perhaps you should listen to us."