Japan gasoline prices pause rise as tax break ends, hit Okinawa households

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported that the national average price of regular gasoline on August 5, 2026 was ¥170.10 per litre, unchanged from the previous week and halting a three‑week upward trend. Prices varied across prefectures, with 18 prefectures seeing increases, 4 remaining flat and 21 recording declines. Okinawa posted the highest price at ¥178.90 per litre, while Miyagi had the lowest at ¥163.70.

Okinawa Prefecture estimates that the scheduled termination of a gasoline tax reduction in May 2027 will impose a ¥38.66 billion negative impact on households and industry. The removal of the subsidy will raise prices by ¥9.6 per litre on the islands and ¥2.5 per litre on the main islands, affecting both consumer spending and industrial costs.