Latest news with #AeonCo.
27-05-2025
- Business
Applications for Govt-Stockpiled Rice Seen Hitting Limit
Tokyo, May 27 (Jiji Press)--Applications to sell government-stockpiled rice under no-bid contracts are now expected to reach the upper limit of 200,000 tons for rice harvested in 2022, the Japanese agriculture ministry said Tuesday. The ministry began accepting applications only on Monday, and it will now suspend accepting applications for both 2022 rice and 2021 rice, 100,000 tons of which is planned to be released. Amid elevated rice prices in the market, retailers have rushed to procure stockpiled rice, which the government will sell at lower prices. The ministry will resume accepting applications only from smaller supermarket operators and rice stores as early as Friday, agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi said. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the ministry had received applications from 33 companies for a total of 157,073 tons of stockpiled rice. The companies include Aeon Co., which applied for the largest amount, of 20,000 tons, and Ito-Yokado Co. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
27-05-2025
- Business
Over 30 Companies Apply to Sell Govt-Stockpiled Rice
Tokyo, May 27 (Jiji Press)--More than 30 companies have applied to sell government-stockpiled rice totaling around 150,000 tons under discretionary contracts, Japanese agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi revealed in an X post on Tuesday. According to the agriculture ministry, the government concluded contracts with some companies the same day, and they could receive unpolished rice as early as Thursday. After being polished and packaged, the rice is expected to hit store shelves as early as Monday with price tags of as low as 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms excluding tax. The ministry began accepting applications on Monday. As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, 19 companies had submitted applications, according to the ministry. More companies, including retailers Aeon Co. and FamilyMart Co., applied later, ministry officials said. The 19 companies applied to sell 10 to 15,000 tons each. While the ministry accepted applications for rice harvested in 2021 and 2022, most were for 2022 rice. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
The Mainichi
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
What do rice varieties imported to Japan taste like? Appraiser says they're all good
TOKYO -- As rice prices remain high in Japan amid shortages, imported rice has become a more common sight in supermarkets. While it is indeed cheaper than domestic rice, how does it reach store shelves, and how does it taste? Over 10% cheaper than domestic rice Major supermarket chain Seiyu, headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, began selling "Musubi no Sato," a Taiwanese short-grain rice variety similar to Japanese rice, in 5-kilogram bags from November 2024. As of mid-May 2025, the price was 3,769 yen (about $26) including tax, more than 10% cheaper than the average for domestic rice. Sales have apparently been strong, with a spokesperson commenting, "Amid rising rice and commodity prices, we considered a wide range of options. We decided to offer this product because its flavor and texture are close to those of Japanese rice." The "rice panic," where rice disappeared from store shelves, occurred in the summer of 2024. Shortages persisted even after the harvest season in autumn, and prices remain high despite the government releasing stockpiled rice. According to the agriculture ministry, the average price of rice sold in supermarkets nationwide from May 5 to 11 was 4,268 yen (around $30) per 5 kg, including tax. This was a 54-yen (approx. 40 cents) increase from the previous week and more than twice the price of the same period last year, which was 2,108 yen. Now, relatively inexpensive imported rice has become more prominent in stores. Expansion of private-sector imports The Japanese government imports about 770,000 metric tons of rice annually with zero tariffs under the "minimum access" quota based on the 1993 Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Major import partners include the United States, Thailand, Australia and China, with about 100,000 tons designated for staple food use. The rest is used for processed foods like rice crackers or as feedstuff. Although the staple portions often went unsold at government auctions, all of it was successfully auctioned off in fiscal 2024 for the first time in seven years. The Taiwanese rice sold by Seiyu is also sourced through this framework. Recently, beyond the minimum access framework, trading companies among others are increasingly importing rice at a tariff of 341 yen (about $2.40) per kilogram. According to the ministry, private-sector imports expanded from 250 tons in fiscal 2019 to 991 tons in fiscal 2024 as of the end of January 2025. Kobe-based Shinmei Holdings Co., which is Japan's largest rice wholesaler and also counts a sushi chain among its group companies, had not imported rice before but plans to import 20,000 tons of American rice in fiscal 2025 for both business and retail sales. Retail giant Aeon Co., headquartered in Chiba, will also start selling a new product called "Karoyaka," 100% American rice imported outside the minimum access quota, mainly in urban areas starting June 6. It will be priced at 2,894 yen (roughly $20) for 4 kg, including tax. Imports not well accepted during 1993 panic Meanwhile, imported rice reminds many people in Japan of the rice panic of 1993, when the domestic crop failed drastically. At that time, rice from countries like the United States, China and Thailand was urgently imported and appeared on store shelves, but was not accepted well by consumers. Will the Reiwa-era rice crisis lead to a similar situation? "They're all sending good rice," says Hideyuki Suzuki, chairperson of the Japanese Association of Rice Taste Appraisers, headquartered in Osaka. The association annually holds the "International Contest on Rice Taste Evaluation" to compare the taste of newly harvested rice, with about 5,000 entries in the 26th edition in fiscal 2024. Suzuki, who has appraised rice from countries including the United States, Australia, China, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, in addition to Japan, emphasizes, "Rice from each production region has its own characteristics." Japan is known for its short-grain Japonica variety, characterized by its stickiness. It has a thick "umami layer" on the surface, making it shine when cooked. It retains moisture, so it doesn't harden over time, making it ideal for eating plain, Suzuki says. Short-grain varieties from China and Taiwan have almost the same characteristics as Japanese rice. In contrast, short-grain rice from South Korea has a lighter flavor, apparently making it easier to eat with rice bowls with toppings as the broth soaks into the rice. Long-grain varieties from Thailand and China have less moisture, making them suitable for pilafs and curries. They are also delicious when made into risotto with the core of the grain slightly undercooked. Medium-grain varieties, common in the United States and Australia, have a certain chewiness. Suzuki advises, "It's not that they're 'hard,' but they're ideal for those who want to enjoy the 'grainy' texture." Choosing based on more than just price According to the agriculture ministry, domestic demand for staple rice from July 2023 to June 2024 was 7.05 million tons. While staple rice from the minimum access quota accounts for about 100,000 tons annually, imported rice remains a small portion but may become more familiar in the future. Suzuki explains, "We always eat the world's best rice, which is Japanese, but we may be entering an era where rice from around the world becomes available. Instead of buying just because it's cheap, we should be wise in choosing, such as by having the knowledge to cook according to each rice variety's characteristics."
The Mainichi
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Supermarkets offering foreign-grown rice as Japan faces record prices
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's supermarket operators have been strengthening sales of cheaper, foreign-grown rice, offering another choice to consumers hit by rising prices and concerns about shortages of the country's staple food. Aeon Co. will start selling California-sourced rice on June 6 at its stores, mainly in urban areas, at 2,894 yen ($20) for 4 kilograms. Converted to the more common Japanese sales unit of 5 kilograms, it is 3,618 yen, some 15 percent cheaper than the average price calculated by the farm ministry of Japanese-grown rice at supermarkets nationwide in early May. The company already launched a blend of U.S.- and domestically-grown rice in April. Rival food retailers Ito-Yokado Co. and Seiyu Co. have also sold rice from California and Taiwan, respectively, and seen solid demand. Aeon said the decision to sell California's Calrose rice reflects consumer interest, saying they can no longer purchase rice as before due to higher prices. "The price (of the new product) is affordable. By offering customers the freedom of choice, we hope that overall rice consumption will increase," Aeon Executive Vice President Mitsuko Tsuchiya told a recent press conference. Japan imports rice either through the government, which is obliged to purchase a certain amount from other countries under World Trade Organization arrangements, or private companies, which pay a tariff to the government. Aeon plans to acquire the rice via private import and sell some 14,000 tons over a three-month period. Less sticky and with a more neutral taste than Japanese rice, the medium Calrose variety grown in California is suited for use in risottos, pilaf, stews and soup, Aeon said. U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass called the sale of the U.S.-grown rice by Aeon "historic" for American farmers, given Japan is a "country that takes its rice very seriously, and it's probably the most discerning consumer when it comes to food quality." "Aeon has certainly gone big in its commitment to American rice and American farmers, and at a time when food prices are a concern for all Japanese, this launch couldn't come at a better time for consumers," Glass said. The average price of rice sold at Japanese supermarkets from May 5 to May 11 was a record 4,268 yen per 5 kg, up from 4,214 yen between late April and early May, when it dropped for the first time in 18 weeks. The level remains around two times higher than the previous year, partly due to a poor harvest in the summer of 2023.
Asahi Shimbun
23-05-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Japan pledges immediate rice relief for consumers to prevent shift to foreign brands
Bags of Calrose rice from California, which Aeon Co. will sell under the Karoyaka brand, are shown in Tokyo on May 13. (Sho Ito) Japan's new agriculture minister pledged on Friday to quickly move rice from government stockpiles to store shelves where they would be offered at prices significantly lower than current levels, seeking to stem a consumer shift to cheaper, foreign brands. Soaring rice prices, due in part to crop damage from extreme heat and additional demand from a boom in tourism, have become a major concern for Japanese consumers as well as the government with upper house elections set for July. The government has been releasing some of its stockpiled rice since March but that has yet to translate to lower supermarket prices. 'The abnormal surge in prices that we're seeing now could accelerate the shift away from domestically produced rice in Japan,' Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference. 'We're already seeing supermarkets buying directly from the United States despite having to pay tariffs... We have to quash this abnormal situation and speed is of the essence.' Japan has historically been reluctant to encourage imports of rice, seeking self-sufficiency for its most basic food and putting up high tariffs to protect local farmers from competition. Koizumi, the son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, took up his post just two days ago. His predecessor, Taku Eto, was forced to resign after angering voters by saying he had never had to buy rice thanks to gifts from supporters. Koizumi said he aimed for stockpiled rice to reach store shelves for under 3,000 yen ($21) per 5 kg by early June. That compares with an average price of 4,268 yen in the seven days to May 11, double the same period a year earlier. Nationwide consumer price index (CPI) data on Friday showed soaring rice prices accelerating overall food inflation to 7.0% in April, from 6.2% in March. Koizumi also met with Rakuten Group CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, who said the online retail giant was prepared to support the government's efforts. Upon taking office, Koizumi immediately terminated the auction method of releasing emergency-use rice and said the government would instead sell via discretionary contracts. The government first released rice from its emergency stock in March through two auctions for 210,000 metric tons, but as of late April, only about 7% had reached retailers due to a complex and time-consuming processing and distribution scheme. Koizumi said the ministry plans to outline a basic framework for how the new process would work next week. Questions remain over how the government would select whom to sell to and at what price. It is planning to release 100,000 tons every month through July.
