a day ago
Japan to lock up, impose fines on profit-seeking resellers of rice
Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks to reporters in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on June 13. (Nobufumi Yamada)
People caught reselling rice for a profit, including the government's emergency supplies, will face a fine or even imprisonment, farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters on June 13.
Koizumi said a Cabinet ordinance will be amended to include rice under the Law on Emergency Measures for Stabilizing Living Conditions of the Public.
The ban will be enforced starting on June 23.
The ordinance will prohibit resales of rice to random buyers, including those online, for more than the original retail price.
Those who violate the ordinance face a maximum prison term of one year or a fine of up to 1 million yen ($6,963).
The government has been releasing rice from its emergency stockpiles in an effort to lower prices that have soared amid supply shortages.
'Reselling of rice would lead to further rice price hikes, which is not desirable,' Koizumi said.
The rice subject to the resale ban includes government emergency supplies distributed through direct sales contracts with retailers.
These supplies contain both polished and unpolished rice, and they are currently available in supermarkets and other stores for around 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms.
'We are taking maximum measures to prevent the potential risk of resales,' said Koizumi, asking for public understanding of the new regulation. 'This is a necessary government decision to ensure that government-stockpiled rice reaches as many people as possible.'
The law was established in 1973 amid the oil crisis to regulate sales of daily necessities that are in short supply.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, resales of masks and disinfectant alcohol were prohibited under the law.
Online market operator Mercari and LineYahoo have already established self-regulatory standards against resales of government rice.
