TOKYO: Ryu Ishihara will soon be raising prices on his inexpensive bowls of soba noodles for the first time in nearly a decade, as rising costs and Russia's invasion of Ukraine take an unlikely toll on Japan's beloved buckwheat noodles.
Though seen as one of the most quintessential of Japanese foods - and eaten on New Year's Eve for good luck - a good part of the buckwheat that goes into the noodles comes from Russia, globally the top buckwheat producer.
Russian buckwheat can still be imported, but instability and shipping disruptions have hampered and delayed procurement. That has added to the pain for soba shop owners such as Ishihara who are already suffering as a global surge in commodity prices, coupled with the yen's plunge, has sent prices climbing.
Soy sauce, flour, the vegetables used for tempura toppings and even the fish used for the broth have all risen in cost.
"The suppliers did all they could, but this time the situation's so bad there's no way to avoid raising prices. There are things I'll have to raise by 10 to 15 percent," Ishihara said in his narrow shop, steaming vats of water behind him.
Soba is famous as a cheap meal served cold or hot, often slurped quickly by workers and students in narrow shops that may cut costs by doing without seats. The noodles' low calorie count and nutritious vitamin and mineral content makes them healthy too.
Ishihara's prices run from 290 yen ($2.25) up to 550 yen, with add-ons such as tempura and sets with rice costing more.
"Now, with the war, the cost of importing the buckwheat too has gone up," he said.
Despite soba's iconic status, Japan in 2020 produced only 42% of its buckwheat needs, according to the Japan Soba Association. The gap is filled by imports, with Russia the third-largest source of buckwheat from 2018, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
In 2021, Russia rose to second, displacing China, and up until February it was No. 1.
Then it invaded Ukraine, adding to the surge in commodities prices, while Japan's yen meanwhile plunged to a 20-year low. On top of that, sanctions and crackdowns on the Russian banking system, which have frozen Moscow out of international finance, have made it more difficult to settle some accounts.
The result has been headaches for soba importers and millers like Hua Yue at the purchasing department of Nikkoku Seifun Co Ltd in Matsumoto, a city in the traditional soba-producing area of Nagano.
Her company imports buckwheat seeds from Russia, as well as other nations including China, in 800- to 1,000-tonne sacks, though she declined to give exact amounts or percentages of how much each country provides.
So far, the biggest problems have been delays and a 30% rise in the price of Russian buckwheat over the last six months, though that's partly due to an export stoppage last year that was resolved.
With Russia producing half the world's buckwheat, problems mean demand will shift to second-biggest producer China. But with China cutting buckwheat production every year, prices are likely to rise further.
"So it may become hard to eat soba at low-cost places," she added.
Ishihara's faithful customers, such as Keidai Fukuhara, who comes twice a week, shrug higher prices off. But even they may have their limits.
"It'll still be all right," the 27-year-old office worker said. "That is, if the prices stay around 500 yen."
($1 = 128.65 yen)
READ MORE: Latest development on Ukraine-Russia crisis
Reuters
Mon May 02 2022
![Japan's low-cost soul food noodles may become casualty of Ukraine war Japan's low-cost soul food noodles may become casualty of Ukraine war](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-05/51651458695_japan.jpg)
A woman wearing protective mask waits for customers at a market district in Tokyo, Japan May 13, 2020.REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
![Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/51709865166_BURSAMALAYSIA.jpg)
Bursa Malaysia meneruskan peningkatan pada awal dagangan
Pada 9.19 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) menambah 0.20 mata kepada 1,630.02 daripada 1,629.82 ketika ditutup pada Isnin.
AWANI Pagi: Hidup bersama COVID-19
Jom ketahui semua info penting tentang “Hidup Bersama COVID-19”! Langkah, pengurusan kes, vaksin, dan banyak lagi bersama Dr Aznida Mohamad Zaki, Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia dalam Awani Pagi Selasa, 8.30 pagi.
![Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-11/71699450877_wang.jpg)
Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS
Pada jam 8 pagi, ringgit meningkat kepada 4.6695/6735 berbanding dolar US daripada 4.6725/6745 semalam.
YB Kinabatangan 'musykil' Ahli Parlimen PN pakai riben putih
Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin 'musykil' Ahli Parlimen Ahli Parlimen Perikatan Nasional (PN) guna lilitan riben putih.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
Penguasaan bahasa Inggeris, KPM buka ruang kepada pesara beri cadangan
"Kalau sukarelawan Singapura nak datang, kita alu-alukan. Kalau guru-guru bersara nak berkhidmat dengan kita pun kita alu-alukan," kata Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
![Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini? Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/61718169354_TBKimPanGon.jpg)
Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Kim Pan-gon dipercayai akan mengadakan sidang akhbar hari ini untuk mengumumkan peletakan jawatannya.
AWANI Ringkas: Syor ambil guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura jadi tumpuan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721098519_suspekbunuhNurFar.jpg)
Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari
Perintah reman terhadap suspek lelaki berusia 26 tahun itu dikeluarkan Hakim Nurul Mardhiah Mohammed Redza.
KPM teliti cadangan sukarelawan Guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura
Sukarelawan berbentuk hubungan diplomasi yang dibiayai kerajaan Singapura bagi bantu tingkatkan penguasaan bahasa Inggeris murid di kawasan miskin bandar dan luar bandar, kata Menteri Pendidikan.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
Niaga AWANI: [Pasca IPO] Apa hala tuju Johor Plantations Group?
Johor Plantations Group (JPG) memperoleh RM735 juta daripada penyenaraiannya di pasaran utama Bursa Malaysia sejak 9 Julai lalu. Bagaimanakah pelan JPG untuk terus berdaya saing pada masa hadapan?
![13 maut, puluhan cedera ditembak secara rambang di sekolah 13 maut, puluhan cedera ditembak secara rambang di sekolah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-09/41664185231_pistol.jpg)
13 maut, puluhan cedera ditembak secara rambang di sekolah
Suspek yang menggunakan dua pucuk pistol itu juga dilaporkan membunuh diri selepas melepaskan tembakan secara rambang.
![Krisis Ukraine-Rusia: Apa punca sebenar? Krisis Ukraine-Rusia: Apa punca sebenar?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-02/71645308736_Ukrainianserviceman.jpg)
Krisis Ukraine-Rusia: Apa punca sebenar?
Prof Mizan berpendapat, ketegangan antara dua negara itu boleh dikurangkan sekiranya Ukraine menangguhkan hasratnya menyertai NATO.
![Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Macron adakan pertemuan dengan Putin Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Macron adakan pertemuan dengan Putin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-03/81616653212_EmmanuelMacron.jpg)
Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Macron adakan pertemuan dengan Putin
Pemimpin Perancis itu berkata menyasarkan untuk "berdialog dengan Rusia dan mengurangkan ketegangan" melalui rundingan itu.
![Rusia arah jet pejuang iringi pesawat peninjau AS di Laut Hitam Rusia arah jet pejuang iringi pesawat peninjau AS di Laut Hitam](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-12/61639224607_fighterjets.jpg)
Rusia arah jet pejuang iringi pesawat peninjau AS di Laut Hitam
Hubungan dua hala antara AS dan Russia berada pada tahap terendah sejak Kesatuan Soviet berpecah pada 1991.
![COVID-19: Kes positif cecah 202 juta dengan 4.2 juta kematian COVID-19: Kes positif cecah 202 juta dengan 4.2 juta kematian](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-06/41624353577_BRAZIL.jpg)
COVID-19: Kes positif cecah 202 juta dengan 4.2 juta kematian
Kes positif kini meningkat kepada 202 juta, dengan Amerika Syarikat kekal negara paling terjejas dengan lebih 35.7 juta kes.
![Olimpik Tokyo: Syaqiera Mashayikh pamer panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas Olimpik Tokyo: Syaqiera Mashayikh pamer panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-07/81627369785_TokyoSyaqiera.jpg)
Olimpik Tokyo: Syaqiera Mashayikh pamer panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas
Pemanah muda negara, Syaqiera Mashayikh, mempamerkan panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas 4-6 kepada peserta dari Jawatankuasa Olimpik Russia, Elena Osipova, dalam pusingan 32 acara recurve individu.
![Pesawat Rusia bawa 28 penumpang dilaporkan hilang Pesawat Rusia bawa 28 penumpang dilaporkan hilang](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-07/41625557756_RUSSIA.jpg)
Pesawat Rusia bawa 28 penumpang dilaporkan hilang
Sebuah pesawat AN-26 Russia dengan 28 orang penumpang dilaporkan hilang di semenanjung Kamchatka di timur Russia, kata pihak berkuasa hari ini.
![Menuju puncak! Sara Sofea yang pernah tawan Gunung Elbrus raih 9A SPM Menuju puncak! Sara Sofea yang pernah tawan Gunung Elbrus raih 9A SPM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-06/51624334588_SPM.jpg)
Menuju puncak! Sara Sofea yang pernah tawan Gunung Elbrus raih 9A SPM
Ternyata penglibatan dalam aktiviti sukan lasak tidak menghalang remaja berusia 18 tahun ini mencatat keputusan cemerlang 9A dalam peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), baru-baru ini.
![COVID-19: Kes jangkitan melebihi 141 juta, korban lebih 3 juta COVID-19: Kes jangkitan melebihi 141 juta, korban lebih 3 juta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/81612134391_KematianCOVID.jpg)
COVID-19: Kes jangkitan melebihi 141 juta, korban lebih 3 juta
Angka kes positif kini meningkat kepada 141.01 juta, dengan Amerika Syarikat kekal negara paling terjejas dengan lebih 31.6 juta kes.
![Tahniah! Filem 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' muncul filem terbaik festival filem di Rusia Tahniah! Filem 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' muncul filem terbaik festival filem di Rusia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-03/61616905648_BALABANHIDUPINFEKS.jpg)
Tahniah! Filem 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' muncul filem terbaik festival filem di Rusia
Filem indie, 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' memenangi kategori Filem Terbaik dan Filem Seram Terbaik di International Symbolic Art Film Festival (ISAFF) di St Petersburg, Rusia.