From the October 2026 term: ¥70,020 per ton — the base cost of bread, noodles and sweets
On September 9, 2026, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced a revision of the government selling price of imported wheat, effective for the October 2026 term (from October 2026 onward). The weighted average of the five main grades, tax included, rises from ¥62,520 to ¥70,020 per ton — a 12.0% increase, or ¥7,500 more than the April 2026 term. Japan imports most of its wheat, and the government purchases it and then sells it on to flour milling companies. That selling price is set under Article 42, Paragraph 2 of the Act on Stabilization of Supply and Demand and Prices of Staple Food (Act No. 113 of 1994), and is revised twice a year (the April term and the October term) based on the average purchase price over the preceding six months. The ¥70,020 figure was calculated on that six-month average. The five grades each serve different uses: Canada Western Red Spring (1CW) mainly for bread; U.S. Dark Northern Spring (DNS) and Hard Red Winter (HRW) mainly for bread and Chinese-style noodles; Australian Standard White (ASW) mainly for Japanese noodles; and U.S. Western White (WW) mainly for confectionery. In short, the revision touches the raw-material cost of everything from bread and ramen to udon and sweets.
What changes here is the price at which the government sells wheat to flour milling companies. When and by how much supermarket flour, bread, or a bowl of ramen changes price is each company's own decision — a revision in the government selling price does not translate directly into retail prices. Still, it shifts the underlying raw-material cost and is therefore one of the factors that shapes prices for wheat-heavy foods. Daily eating in Japan often leans more on bread, noodles, and sweets than it did back home. Students who eat out frequently, people living alone on assignment, and anyone running a bakery or ramen shop are the most exposed. If you operate a restaurant, ask your flour supplier or wholesaler early about purchase prices from October onward — that gives you time to review menu pricing and stocking plans calmly. The revision is a regular, twice-yearly event. The next one is scheduled for the April 2027 term and will move up or down according to the average purchase price over the six months preceding it.
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Source:
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (Revision of the government selling price of imported wheat)This article was edited and written by freegent Inc. based on the source above.