Two very different but highly anticipated releases are making headlines in Japan today — the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 and three-year-old rice. ➡️ Gamers lined up for the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company’s first new console in eight years. But pricing could be affected if a 90-day pause on tariffs expires — with a third of the consoles made in Vietnam, costs may rise. ➡️ Meanwhile, convenience store chain Lawson has begun selling rice from Japan’s emergency stockpile. It’s three years old, but cheaper than newly harvested rice — a reflection of the country’s persistent food inflation, which remains a key factor in the Bank of Japan’s rate decisions.