Less than a third of companies that responded to a survey in Japan have been able to reflect the rising cost of electricity in their prices.

Private research firm Teikoku Databank conducted the survey this month on 1,265 companies.

Of the total, 86.6 percent saw their electricity bills rise from a year before. But in response, only 29.6 percent raised the prices of their goods and services.

The average increase among those that did raise their prices was 9.9 percent of their utility bill increase.

Teikoku Databank official Kaminishi Tomohiro says many companies may have struggled to raise prices because their energy costs are not visible from the outside.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to investigate the issue.

Officials will send out questionnaires to small- and medium-sized businesses in March to better understand how higher costs are being handled.