Prices are set to rise on 3,153 food and beverage items in Japan in October, putting fresh pressure on household budgets already strained by recent price hikes. According to Teikoku Databank Ltd., October's increase follows hikes on nearly 5,000 items in September, marking another "wave of price hikes."

Daily necessities like meat, rice, eggs and vegetables are becoming increasingly expensive, driven higher in part by rising fuel costs. To cope, several Tokyo residents say they are hunting for discounts, shopping at cheaper stores and cutting back on essential groceries. Many are calling for government action that better addresses their daily financial realities.