Japan’s rice prices fall for the first time in more than three years, according to government data cited by multiple outlets. A government official says that in May, rice prices decline after a period of sharp increases for the staple food. The change marks the first drop since the prior run-up that had pushed prices higher for 3½ years. The reports present the move as a shift in the direction of the price trend rather than an immediate reversal of all market pressures. The articles do not provide extensive detail on the drivers of the decline, but they describe it as a measurable retreat in a category that had been rising steadily. Overall, the coverage aligns on the timing (May), the duration of the previous upward trend (about 3.5 years), and the core finding (a first price fall after a long stretch of increases).