TOKYO -- Inflation has spread to one of Japan's favorite, most affordable meals: ramen.
The average cost of a bowl of ramen was 617 yen ($4.57 at current rates) in June, Japan's interior ministry said, the highest price since it began tracking the data in 2000. With food costs rising across the board, national chains and mom-and-pop operations alike are struggling to keep price-conscious customers happy while dealing with ever-growing expenses.
