In December 2022, Japan witnessed a significant surge in the average price of chicken eggs, reaching 300 yen (approximately $2.3) per kilogram, marking the highest price in the past 30 years. This increase is largely attributed to the spread of bird flu in several regions, leading to mass chicken culls. The price hike is expected to impact local bread and confectionery producers, and it may take up to a year to return to the previous chicken population. Since November 2020, this bird flu season has seen a record 60 outbreaks across more than 20 prefectures, resulting in the culling of over 11 million chickens.