A169Recent consumption patterns may reflect a deflationary trend in the Japanese economy. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' 2005 Family Income and Expenditure Survey, annual overall consumption per person increased 0.2% year on year to 1,146,299 yen, but expenditure on food fell 0.5% to 287,034 yen. Expenditure on seafood fell 1.2% to 29,349 yen and, compared to the 1995 figure of 36,939 yen, declined more than 20%. It should be noted that the overall per .
Capital expenditure on food had fallen 4.2% since 1995, when it was 299,567 yen. However, expenditure on pre-prepared food increased 21% to 32,263 yen from 26,647 yen in 1995. The amount of seafood consumed in pre-prepared meals in the form of everyday dishes or lunch boxes has been increasing and is impacting expenditure on seafood.