Tokyo Gas Hikes Household Base Charge for First Time in 46 Years

Tokyo Gas Co. will raise its base charge for the first time in nearly half a century to offset higher costs and declining consumption.

A standard household’s monthly bill will climb by about 2.6% from October, the company said in a notice on Monday. It marks the first hike in the fixed portion of the bill — the basic charge — since 1980, according to a spokesperson.