Ishiba vows to boost Japan's rice production and exports

NHK

a day ago

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has vowed to increase the country's rice production in a major policy shift.
Ishiba announced the new rice policy on Tuesday when relevant ministers met to discuss the issue of ensuring a stable supply of Japan's staple crop.
Referring to the findings of a government investigation into the recent surge in rice prices, Ishiba explained the agriculture ministry had misjudged the levels of household consumption and demand from booming inbound tourism and mistakenly concluded that rice output would be sufficient. He said this has led to a delayed release of government stockpiles and an inappropriate method to release them.
Ishiba said he is taking the shortage of rice supply seriously and pledged to shift toward increased rice production. He said his government will work to stem a further expansion of abandoned farmland and ensure farms will be inherited by the next generation. He added that the government will work all-out to fundamentally expand rice exports.
He also stressed the need to boost productivity through such means as consolidation and incorporation of farm management and introduction of smart technology. He highlighted the importance of creating products to better suit consumer needs.
Ishiba said the focus of Japan's paddy policy, set to be reviewed for fiscal 2027, will be shifted to help farmers increase production in a forward-looking manner.
The Japanese prime minister also called for the creation of a new mechanism to protect terraced paddies in mountainous areas.
In the face of growing concerns about the effects of ongoing drought and high temperatures, Ishiba instructed the agriculture and land ministries to take coordinated action to mitigate damage to rice crops.