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The cost of a well-loved snack in Japan is increasing for the first time in over 40 years.
在日本，一种深受人们喜爱的零食的价格40多年来首次上涨。
Umaibo corn puff was introduced in Japan in 1979.
Umaibo小叮当玉米棒于1979年引入日本。
Its name means "delicious stick."
它的名字的意思是“美味的玉米棒”。
People have loved Umaibo for many years for its special crunch and its 10-yen price.
多年来，人们一直喜欢Umaibo，因为它特殊的口感和10日元的价格。
One Japanese yen is less than one U.S. cent--or one-hundredth of a dollar.
1日元不到1美分，即1美元的百分之一。
The maker of Umaibo, Yaokin Corp, is increasing the price to 12 yen.
Umaibo的生产商耀金株式会社将其价格提高到12日元。
The snack's first-ever price increase will begin in April.
这种零食的首次涨价将从4月开始。
The price change is a reminder that Japan is feeling the effects of rising costs of raw materials and transportation.
这一价格变动提醒人们，日本正受到原材料和运输成本上涨的影响。
Prices of goods have been rising in many countries.
许多国家的商品价格一直在上涨。
But Japanese companies have so far avoided increasing prices out of fear of losing buyers.
但由于担心失去购买者，日本企业迄今为止一直避免涨价。
Longtime fans of Umaibo are surprised and saddened by the cost change.
Umaibo的长期粉丝对其价格的变化感到惊讶和伤心。
"Umaibo have been the same price for so long, so a 2-yen increase is a big deal," 59-year-old Noriko Eda told Reuters. "I was surprised."
59岁的江田纪子告诉路透社：“Umaibo的价格一直保持不变，所以涨2日元是一件大事。”“我很惊讶。”
Umaibo come in 15 flavors, or tastes, such as cheese, seasoned fish egg and creamy corn soup.
Umaibo有15种口味，如奶酪味、调味鱼丸味和奶油玉米汤味。
Around 700 million of the crunchy sticks are sold each year.
每年大约售出7亿根这种酥脆的玉米棒。
The cost has stayed so low that even children can buy themselves Umaibo.
价格一直很低，甚至连孩子们都可以给自己买Umaibo。
For many Japanese, the snack reminds them of when they were young.
对于许多日本人来说，这种零食会让他们想起自己年轻的时候。
Takeshi Nemoto has been in charge of purchasing snacks at Tokyo snack shop Kawahara Shoten for many years.
多年来，北野武一直负责东京零食店Kawahara Shoten的零食采购业务。
He said other snack manufacturers may also have to raise prices.
他说，其他零食生产商可能也不得不提高价格。
"There's nothing we can do," he said.
他说：“我们无能为力”。
"From the manufacturer's point of view they can't stay profitable anymore unless they raise the price."
“从生产商的角度来看，除非他们提高价格，否则他们就无法保持盈利。”
Some fans of Umaibo saw the change as the end of an era.
Umaibo的一些粉丝认为这一变化是一个时代的结束。
"We're witnessing a turning point of history," rock musician Atsushi Osawa said on Twitter.
摇滚音乐家大泽俊志在推特上发文道：“我们正在见证一个历史转折点”。
His band, Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai, included the snack in a 2010 song.
他的乐队Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai在2010年的一首歌中加入了这种零食。
They sang about Umaibo's "miracle price."
他们唱的是Umaibo的“奇迹价格”。
The musician said, "The price has started to diverge from the lyrics."
这位音乐家说：“Umaibo的价格已经开始偏离歌词了。”
I'm Ashley Thompson.
阿什利·汤普森为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
