The number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan increased 6.2 percent in October from a year earlier to 965, the highest level in 13 years for the month, hit by rising prices and labor shortages, a survey by a credit research firm said Tuesday. It rose for the fifth straight month from a year earlier, marking the highest monthly figure since May 2024, with small companies with fewer than 10 employees accounting for around 90 percent of the cases, according to Tokyo Shoko Research. Rising prices triggered 85 bankruptcies, particularly in the restaurant, food manufacturing, and retail sectors, as higher raw material costs and utility fees likely weighed on their businesses.