Japan's Inflation Winners Outnumber Losers Amid Rising Commodity Prices

A five-hour drive north of Tokyo lies the city of Murakami, where 72-year-old Chieko Sugai lives alone in a two-story house that's seen better days. The paper sliding doors are torn, and spiderwebs lace the corners of empty rooms.

Sugai relies on a monthly pension of 110,000 yen ($671). In April, kerosene costs alone ate up more than a third of her budget due to the Iran war's impact on global markets. 'When I don't have money, I just have to put up with it because I have no other choice,' she says.

The Japan inflation paradox is creating winners and losers in the country. While Sugai struggles to make ends meet, others are benefiting from rising prices. The recent Iran war has contributed to a surge in global commodity prices, which has led to higher profits for Japanese companies that import these goods.