By Rocky Swift TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese government bonds remained stable on Friday, after a volatile week in which super-long yields hit record highs as inflation and fiscal concerns sapped demand for debt.

From the BBC World Service: Japan's inflation rate is heating up, which could mean higher interest rates for the first time in years.

The government has been releasing some of its stockpiled rice since March, but that has yet to translate to lower prices. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The price of Japanese-grown rice is soaring due to high inflation, low farm yields and a growing tourism sector.

In Japan inflation seems to rise further, leaving the BoJ at a critical situation: due to the high debt they aren’t able to raise rates but would need to do so to reduce inflation. The USDJPY currency pair remains responsive and might fall further as the interest rate differential might weaken rather sooner than later.

"Major financial events often happen first in Japan, for example the late-1990s tech bubble bursting first in Japan," Albert Edwards wrote Thursday.

Japan's historic shift away from negative rates and yield curve control marks a turning point, ending decades of ultra-expansionary monetary policy. Read more about it here.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged Wednesday to take necessary steps to lower rice prices that have doubled over the past year, bu