Latest news with #JapanAgriculture
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Japan says emergency rice imports, other options considered to stabilise prices
TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan said on Friday that "all options" were being considered to stabilise rice prices, including the use of up to 100,000 metric tons of tariff-free staple rice the government imports a year, and further emergency imports beyond that quota. The doubling of rice prices since last year has become a major concern for consumers as well as policymakers ahead of key elections in Tokyo and nationwide in June and July. The government has so far earmarked about 600,000 metric tons of rice for release from its emergency stockpile in an effort to lower prices. Koizumi has said he was ready to release the entire stock - or another 300,000 tons - as needed, but it remains to be seen how much that would help prices fall. "If you look at other products, (emergency imports) are something that we naturally turn to. When bird flu causes a shortage of eggs, for example, we've imported from Brazil," Japan's Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference. "Maybe rice has always been seen as sacred ground but we have to drop that thinking and consider all options to achieve stable prices." Japan has a limit of 100,000 metric tons a year of tariff-free "minimum access" staple rice imports, as agreed with the World Trade Organisation. As homegrown rice prices have soared, demand for cheaper, foreign-made rice has surged, even for imports outside this tariff-free quota. Rice prices in Japanese supermarkets averaged 4,260 yen ($29.62) per 5 kg (11 pounds) in the week to May 25, about double the level from a year earlier. Shortly after taking over as agriculture minister last month, Koizumi ended the slow and cumbersome distribution method of stockpiled rice to cooperatives and wholesalers via auction. The emergency rice is now being sold directly to retailers, which are generally selling it for about 2,000 yen per 5 kg. How much average rice prices come down across the market and what further policies, if any, are taken will remain in focus as Japan approaches crucial elections. ($1 = 143.8100 yen)
Malay Mail
26-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Japan aims to slash reserve rice prices as costs spike from heat, tourism
TOKYO, May 26 — Japan aims to drastically cut stockpiled rice prices to ¥2,000 (RM59.05) per five kg and speed up getting rice onto shop shelves as consumers suffer from sky-high staple grain costs, the farm ministry said today. Surging rice prices — due in part to crop damage from extreme heat and increasing demand from tourism — are a serious concern for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government, with its public approval rating stuck around a record low ahead of an upper house election in July. The government will sell 300,000 metric tons of stockpiled rice via discretionary contracts to retailers, the farm ministry said, after new Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi pledged last week to quickly move rice to store. To help bring down the prices, the government will also cover transportation costs so that stockpiled rice will be on retail shelves in early June at around ¥2,000 — which would be about half the average rice price at supermarkets. Japan will consider selling stockpiled rice beyond retailers depending on the situation. 'The price of rice has about doubled compared to last year. We felt continuing the same way as before would not meet the people's expectations,' Koizumi told his new team of farm ministry officials who handle the rice price issue. 'We will dispel the public concerns about rice prices with even greater speed and a greater sense of urgency,' he said. On Friday, Koizumi met with Rakuten Group CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, who said the online retail giant was prepared to support the government's efforts. The government's stockpiling policy requires it to purchase the same amount released at a later date, but the nation decided not to buy back as the repurchase system could keep prices higher. In March, the government released stockpiled rice through two auctions for 210,000 metric tons to ease soaring rice prices. But only about seven per cent reached retailers as of late April because the distribution system was multi-layered and time-consuming. — Reuters
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Japan's agriculture minister resigns after a rice gaffe causes political fallout
TOKYO: Japan's agriculture minister was forced to resign Wednesday because of political fallout over his recent comments that he 'never had to buy rice' because he got it from supporters as a gift. The resignation comes as the public struggles with record high prices of the country's traditional staple food. Taku Eto's comment, which many Japanese saw as out of touch with economic realities, came at a seminar Sunday for the Liberal Democratic Party, which leads a struggling minority government. The gaffe could be further trouble for the party before a national election in July. A major loss could mean a new government or could mean Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would have to step down. 'I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when consumers are struggling with soaring rice prices,' Eto told reporters after submitting his resignation at the prime minister's office. He was the first minister to resign under Ishiba's leadership that began October. The government has released tonnes of rice from its emergency stockpile in recent months, but the latest agricultural ministry statistics show little impact from the move. Some supermarkets have started selling cheaper imported rice. Eto also sought to clarify the comments that got him in trouble. He said he does actually buy white rice himself and was not living on rice given as gifts. He said the gift comment referred to brown rice, which he wants people to become interested in because it can reach market faster. Ishiba appointed popular former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of a former prime minister, to lead the ministry, noting his experience in agriculture and fisheries policies and enthusiasm for reforms. Koizumi told reporters Ishiba instructed him to do everything to stabilize the rice supply and prices to address consumer concern. 'I was told to put rice before anything,' Koizumi told reporters. 'At this difficult time, I will do my utmost to speedily tackle the high rice prices that people feel and worry about in their everyday lives.' He said he shares consumers' concerns as he feeds his children packaged instant rice sometimes. Ishiba, also a former farm minister, said he wants to strengthen Japan's food security and self-sufficiency. He has proposed agricultural reforms, including increased rice production and possible exports, though critics say he should urgently fix the ongoing rice problem first. Noting the rice situation, Ishiba said he suspects the rice price surge is 'not a temporary but a structural problem.' 'It may not be easy to find an answer,' he said, but repeated his pledge to do the utmost to ease consumers' difficulties and to reform rice policies. Koizumi said the measures so far have proved ineffective and that he will speed the effort as soon as he formally takes office later Wednesday. He stressed the need to reform Japanese rice policy, which has focused on powerful organizations that represent farmers, to focus more on the benefit of consumers. Japanese rice demand has decreased over recent decades as people's diets have diversified, but rice remains a staple food and an integral part of Japanese culture and history. 'Rice is the staple food for the Japanese. When its prices are rising every week, (Eto's) resignation is only natural,' said Shizuko Oshima, 73. The shortfall started last August with panic buying following a government caution over preparedness for a major earthquake. The supply pressure eased after the autumn harvest, but a shortage and price increases hit again early this year. Officials have blamed the supply shortage on poor harvests because of hot weather in 2023 and higher fertilizer and other production costs, but some experts blame the government's long-term rice production policy. The unprecedented release from emergency rice stockpiles was seen in part as an attempt to figure out distribution problems. The government has denied there is now a rice shortage, but officials say it's a mystery why rice is not reaching consumers as expected. Some experts say the rice shortage could be serious but it's difficult to trace rice as its distribution route has become so complex since the end of government control in 1995.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Japan's agriculture minister resigns after a rice gaffe causes political fallout
Former environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi, centre, is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP) TOKYO — Japan's agriculture minister was forced to resign Wednesday because of political fallout over recent comments that he 'never had to buy rice' because he got it from supporters as gifts. The resignation comes as the public struggles with record high prices of the country's traditional staple food. Taku Eto's comment, which many Japanese saw as out of touch with economic realities, came at a seminar Sunday for the Liberal Democratic Party, which leads an struggling minority government. The gaffe could be further trouble for the party before a national election in July. A major loss could mean a new government or could mean Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would have to step down. 'I made an extremely inappropriate remark at a time when consumers are struggling with soaring rice prices,' Eto told reporters after submitting his resignation at the prime minister's office. Eto's resignation was the first under Ishiba's leadership that began October. The government has released tons of rice from its emergency stockpile in recent months, but the latest agricultural ministry statistics show little impact from the move. Some supermarkets have started selling cheaper imported rice. Eto also sought to clarify the comments that got him in trouble. He said he does actually buy white rice himself and was not living on rice given as gifts. He said the gift comment referred to brown rice, which he wants people to become interested in because it can reach market faster. Ishiba appointed popular former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of a former prime minister, to lead the ministry, noting his experience in agriculture and fisheries policies and enthusiasm for reforms. Koizumi told reporters Ishiba instructed him to do everything to stabilize the rice supply and prices to address consumer concern. 'I was told to put rice before anything,' Koizumi told reporters. 'At this difficult time, I will do utmost to speedily tackle high rice price that people feel and worry in everyday life.' He said he shares consumers' concerns as he feeds his children packaged instant rice sometimes. Ishiba, also a former farm minister, said he wants to strengthen Japan's food security and self-sufficiency. He has proposed agricultural reforms, including increased rice production and possible exports, though critics say he should urgently fix the ongoing rice problem first. Noting the rice situation, Ishiba said he suspects the rice price surge is 'not a temporary but a structural problem.' 'It may not be easy to find an answer,' he said, but repeated his pledge to do the utmost to ease consumers' difficulties and to reform rice policies. Koizumi said the measures so far have proved ineffective and that he will speed the effort as soon as he formally takes office later Wednesday. Party leaders plan to further grill Ishiba at a party leaders' debate at parliament scheduled later in the day. Japanese rice demand has decreased over recent decades as people's diets have diversified, but rice remains a staple food and integral part of Japanese culture and history. 'Rice is the stable food for the Japanese. When its prices are rising every week, (Eto's) resignation is only natural,' said Shizuko Oshima, 73. The shortfall started last August on panic buying following a government caution over preparedness for a major earthquake. The supply pressure eased after the autumn harvest, but a shortage and price increases hit again early this year. Officials have blamed the supply shortage on poor harvests because of hot weather in 2023 and higher fertilizer and other production costs, but some experts blame the government's long-term rice production policy. The unprecedented release from emergency rice stockpiles was seen in part as an attempt to figure out distribution problems. The government has denied there is now a rice shortage, but officials say it's a mystery why rice is not reaching consumers. Some experts say the rice shortage could be serious but it's difficult to trace rice as its distribution route has become so complex since the end of government control in 1995. ___ Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press AP video journalist Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Japan's farm minister resigns over rice gaffe, as stubbornly high prices threaten government's grip on power
An off-the-cuff remark about never paying for rice has cost Japan's agriculture minister his job, as pressure mounts on the government to solve the nation's rice crisis. Taku Eto resigned on Wednesday, telling reporters that he had concluded he was 'not the right person for this role' after sparking a public backlash by saying that he had 'so much rice at home that (he) could sell it.' The cost of rice – Japan's prime staple food - has become a major political issue, with prices surging to record highs this year and the government taking the rare steps of releasing emergency reserves and importing foreign rice. Eto's gaffe could not have come at a worse time for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government, which was already suffering from low approval ratings due to spiraling cost of living, weeks ahead of an election. 'I have never bought rice myself. Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of rice. I have so much rice at home that I could sell it,' Eto said in a speech over the weekend, drawing the ire of the public. He later clarified he did buy his own rice and said he 'deeply regretted' his comments. 'I made an extremely inappropriate remark as the minister responsible. For that, I apologize once again to the people of Japan,' Eto said Wednesday after tendering his resignation. He added that he 'fully recognized' the hardship people are facing due to soaring rice prices. Frustrations over the rising cost of living in Japan is shaping up to be a major threat for Prime Minister Ishiba and his Liberal Democratic Party as the country heads to the polls for upper house elections in July. The latest approval ratings for Ishiba's cabinet slipped to 27.4%, a record low, according to a poll by Japanese news agency Kyodo released on Sunday. Almost one in nine of the households surveyed said the government's efforts to rein in rice prices had been insufficient. Ishiba's party, which has ruled Japan for almost all of its post-war history, suffered a crushing defeat in last year's lower house election, but he held on to power by seeking support from minor parties. Further defeat in the coming elections could threaten his coalition's rule and spark calls for a new leader. Despite the government's attempts to bring them down, rice prices in Japan have remained stubbornly high – almost twice what they were a year ago. The average retail price of rice rose to 4,268 yen ($29.4 US) per five kilograms in the second week of May, reversing a brief decline in 18 weeks recorded in the previous month, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Earlier this year, it took the rare step of putting hundreds of thousands of tons of rice from its emergency reserves up for auction, in a bid to drive down prices. Multiple auctions have since been scheduled until July, with hundreds of thousands of tons of rice being released. Japan, which takes deep pride in its homegrown rice, has also scaled up imports of rice from overseas, mainly from the US. In April, it also imported South Korean rice for the first time since 1999. Dealing with the rice crisis is now the job of Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of a former Japanese Prime Minister, who Ishiba has appointed to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. 'I have instructed Mr. Koizumi to make strong efforts to supply rice to consumers at a stable price, especially in light of the current high rice prices,' Ishiba said.
