3 days ago
Japanese customers brave the rain to line up for cheap, stockpiled rice
Iris Ohyama began sales of government stockpiled rice at two of its home center locations in Miyagi and Chiba prefectures on Saturday morning, marking the first time such rice — procured through a discretionary government contract amid sky-high prices for the grain — has been sold at a brick-and-mortar store.
Despite steady rain, lines formed early outside the Unidy Matsudo Tokiwadaira store in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, where numbered tickets were distributed from 8 a.m., with a limit of one bag per person.
The queue snaked from the store entrance around the building and into the parking lot, with around 100 people in line from 6 a.m. Some customers toward the front of the line began lining up as early as 8 p.m. the previous evening, according to Mao Takaoka, a company spokesperson.
Sales began an hour later, with 5-kilogram bags priced at ¥2,000 ($14) before tax, less than half the average price in recent weeks. All of the 65 bags prepared for the day sold out quickly, with many leaving empty-handed.
'We came early because it's hard to pass up rice at this price,' said one woman in her 60s, who was waiting near the end of the line with a neighbor after arriving before 6 a.m.
'Of course we're a little worried about how it'll taste, but the cheapness matters more than anything. If it doesn't taste good, we'll just mix it with ice or cook it with lots of other things. There's always a way,' she added.
Iris Ohyama signed a deal through its group company on Tuesday to purchase 10,000 tons of stockpiled rice, which it will receive over the next two months and sell in stages, both online and in-store. |
Jessica Speed
A man in his 70s cited rising costs of living as his reason for lining up early.
'Everything is so expensive these days,' he said. 'Sure, rice and gas prices are coming down a little, but everything else — vegetables, milk, daily essentials — just keep going up.'
'If the government doesn't step in and do more for the people, a lot of us are going to be in real trouble.'
He also noted the strain of waiting in the cold morning hours.
'Honestly, I'd be happy if they started handing out tickets even earlier. Most of us in line are older folks. We're the ones who line up for things like this,' he chuckled, rubbing his hands to stay warm.
Another man in his 70s, who began lining up at 5 a.m. after waking at 3:30 a.m., said the effort was worth it. 'It feels like I really pulled it off!' he said with a grin, clutching his bag. 'I haven't carried something this heavy in a long time.'
He said he wasn't concerned about the rice being from the 2022 harvest. 'I won't know how it tastes until I try it,' he said. 'If I cook it a little longer and add some sake and mirin, it'll probably be fine.'
'I'm planning to eat some tonight,' he added. 'I'm really looking forward to it.'
The in-store launch was originally scheduled for June 2, but was moved up after milling operations finished ahead of schedule.
'We wanted to be first to market and get the product out to our customers,' Nobuo Tanaka, head of Iris Ohyama's general affairs department, told reporters Saturday. 'We were also first to sign a discretionary contract and begin milling.'
Tanaka said the ¥2,000 price point was based on levels from about two years ago. 'This price has had a big impact, and drawn a lot of attention.'
People line up for the chance to buy rice released from a government stockpile on Saturday in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. |
Jessica Speed
The early rollout follows strong online demand. The company's entire online preorder allotment sold out in about 45 minutes after starting at 1 p.m. on Thursday, according to a report from NHK.
The company began receiving deliveries that same day and immediately launched milling and packaging operations, with the first packages being shipped out on Friday, ahead of schedule.
Iris Ohyama signed a deal through its group company on Tuesday to purchase 10,000 tons of stockpiled rice, which it will receive over the next two months and sell in stages, both online and in-store.
The company also beat Ito Yokado by a narrow margin to be the first to provide rice to customers. Ito Yokado launched last-minute sales at its Omori branch in Tokyo's Ota Ward, with sales starting at 10 a.m.
Separately, the agricultural ministry on Friday reopened applications for the discretionary sale of 80,000 tons of stockpiled rice from the 2021 harvest, targeting small-scale retailers such as independent grocers and supermarkets.
