Subsidies will be further reduced from the 16th, and gasoline prices are expected to rise. There is a possibility that they will approach the highest price ever. ■Subsidy reduction leads to "last-minute rush" A person in his 40s says, "Prices are only going up, so it's hard on the household budget." Gas users are lamenting one after another. A person in his 50s says, "It's really expensive. Just filling up a little costs 6,000 yen. I'm in trouble. I'm thinking about refraining from going out." A gas station in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. On the 15th, the price of 1 liter of regular gasoline was 176 yen. Until now, the national average retail price had been kept at around 175 yen per liter due to government subsidies. However, following a 5 yen reduction in the subsidy on the 19th of last month, the price had risen to 180.7 yen as of the 14th. Furthermore, the subsidy will be reduced by 5 yen again on the 16th. Therefore, the price is expected to rise to around 185 yen next month. It is approaching the all-time high of 186.5 yen in 2023. A care taxi driver said, "Even 1 yen is hard. I try to make it as cheap as possible, but I can't raise the price for customers by 10 or 20 yen." Gas stations in Kanagawa Prefecture plan to raise prices by about 5 yen on the 16th. Shinene Shoji Unomori SS Manager Tokita Kenji: "From tomorrow, we're looking at around 175 yen. It's tough for the store, too. We'll have fewer customers." Some people are rushing to fill up before the price goes up... A person in his 30s said, "We were running low on gasoline, so we thought about getting it before the price went up. Our wages aren't actually going up, so it would be helpful if we could get a little more subsidy." ■How far will it go up? Gasoline prices Due to the reduction in subsidies, not only gasoline but also kerosene has risen in price. It's a matter of life and death in snowy countries with harsh cold. A delivery person walks through the snow. Kerosene is essential as fuel for heating and baths. A man in his 70s who requested gasoline. A person who ordered kerosene said, "I'm a pensioner, so the price increase is a big problem for me. It's cold in Aomori right now, so I'm using up a lot of kerosene. When I run out of kerosene, I'll just freeze. I've tried various things, like taking a bath once every two days, but it's still difficult." Some people have simple questions. A person in their 60s said, "It's going up and up, so what should I do?" A person in their 40s said, "It's hard to understand how the price is set and how the price moves." Is it possible that gasoline prices will surpass their all-time high in the future? Reporter Ishida Mizue of the Economic Department: "Prices will vary depending on the gas station and region, but they are expected to rise by about 5 yen over the next 2 to 3 weeks, to a national average of about 185 yen." Starting on the 16th, subsidies for prices up to the national average price of 185 yen will be eliminated. So what happens if the price exceeds 185 yen? Reporter Ishida Mizue: "Any amount above 185 yen will be subsidized 100% for the time being, so it is expected to remain around 185 yen." Prices are likely to remain close to their all-time high for some time to come. [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp