Latest news with #UtsunomiyaUniversity
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Why rice prices are soaring in Japan
Japanese inflation data released today showed that rice prices last month were a whopping 98% higher than a year earlier. AFP looks at the factors behind the sharp increase, which started several months ago, and how it has become a major headache for the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Shortages Experts say that the main reason for the spike in rice prices is simply because of a shortage of the food staple, which for centuries has been deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Factors behind that include a record hot summer in 2023 that hit harvests, followed by a surge in demand in 2024, in part fuelled by panic-buying following a warning of a massive earthquake, which did not materialise. Unprecedented numbers of tourists hungry for sushi and other foods using rice have also been blamed, as have alleged hoarding by some distributors. Falling acreage For years, with rice consumption falling, government policy has been to reduce the amount of land used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. At the same time, in line with Japan's ageing population, many rice farmers are old and their children don't want to take over. Nearly 90% of individual farms are run by farmers over 60, and 70% have no successor secured, according to the agricultural ministry. The amount of land used for rice paddies shrank to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) in 2024, down from a peak of 3.4 million hectares in 1961. "The Japanese authorities have long focused on how to reduce the scale of rice production in the name of market control, and they haven't focused on how to increase rice consumption," said Tadao Koike, the third-generation master of a Tokyo rice retailer dating back over 90 years. "Now we are all dealing with the payback," Koike told AFP. Stockpile The government started to auction some of its emergency reserves in February, having previously tapped into them during disasters. This is first time since the stores were built in 1995 that supply chain problems are behind the move. However, as the latest data show, the move has had little impact so far. Masayuki Ogawa, assistant professor at Utsunomiya University, said this was because the reserve feeds into "blended rice" and not into the more popular branded grains from a particular region or variety. "In terms of average prices, the price of brand-name rice has risen enough to offset the effect of stockpiled rice pushing down the average price, making it difficult for retail prices in supermarkets to fall even when stockpiled rice is released," Ogawa told AFP. Political backlash After years of stagnant or falling prices, inflation is now squeezing Japanese consumers and by extension hitting support for the government. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost non-stop for decades, lost its majority last year and had to cobble together a coalition. Last weekend the farm minister sparked public anger with controversial comments about accessing supplies. Taku Eto told an event that he "never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me". Eto resigned but the episode will likely have added to a sense among voters that the LDP - which faces upper house elections in July - is out of touch. Still, Marcel Thieliant, at Capital Economics, said "weekly rice prices are showing signs of stabilisation so rice inflation should start to soften again before long".
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Why rice prices are soaring in Japan
The government has been releasing some of its stockpiled rice since March, but that has yet to translate to lower supermarket prices. PHOTO: AFP TOKYO - Japanese inflation data released on May 23 showed that rice prices last month were a whopping 98 per cent higher than a year earlier. AFP looks at the factors behind the sharp increase, which started several months ago, and how it has become a major headache for the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Experts say that the main reason for the spike in rice prices is simply because of a shortage of the food staple, which for centuries has been deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Factors behind that include a record hot summer in 2023 that hit harvests, followed by a surge in demand in 2024, in part fuelled by panic-buying following a warning of a massive earthquake, which did not materialise. Unprecedented numbers of tourists hungry for sushi and other foods using rice have also been blamed, as have alleged hoarding by some distributors. For years, with rice consumption falling, government policy has been to reduce the amount of land used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. At the same time, in line with Japan's ageing population, many rice farmers are old and their children don't want to take over. Nearly 90 per cent of individual farms are run by farmers over 60, and 70 per cent have no successor secured, according to the agricultural ministry. The amount of land used for rice paddies shrank to 2.3 million hectares in 2024, down from a peak of 3.4 million hectares in 1961. 'The Japanese authorities have long focused on how to reduce the scale of rice production in the name of market control, and they haven't focused on how to increase rice consumption,' said Mr Tadao Koike, the third-generation master of a Tokyo rice retailer dating back over 90 years. 'Now we are all dealing with the payback,' Mr Koike told AFP. The government started to auction some of its emergency reserves in February, having previously tapped into them during disasters. This is first time since the stores were built in 1995 that supply chain problems are behind the move. However, as the latest data show, the move has had little impact so far. Mr Masayuki Ogawa, assistant professor at Utsunomiya University, said this was because the reserve feeds into 'blended rice' and not into the more popular branded grains from a particular region or variety. 'In terms of average prices, the price of brand-name rice has risen enough to offset the effect of stockpiled rice pushing down the average price, making it difficult for retail prices in supermarkets to fall even when stockpiled rice is released,' Mr Ogawa told AFP. After years of stagnant or falling prices, inflation is now squeezing Japanese consumers and by extension hitting support for the government. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost non-stop for decades, lost its majority last year and had to cobble together a coalition. And last weekend the farm minister sparked public anger with controversial comments about accessing supplies. Mr Taku Eto told an event that he 'never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me'. Mr Eto resigned but the episode will likely have added to a sense among voters that the LDP – which faces upper house elections in July – is out of touch. Still, Mr Marcel Thieliant, at Capital Economics, said 'weekly rice prices are showing signs of stabilisation so rice inflation should start to soften again before long'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Why rice prices are soaring in Japan?
TOKYO: Japanese inflation data released Friday showed that rice prices last month were a whopping 98 percent higher than a year earlier. AFP looks at the factors behind the sharp increase, which started several months ago, and how it has become a major headache for the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Shortages Experts say that the main reason for the spike in rice prices is simply because of a shortage of the food staple, which for centuries has been deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Factors behind that include a record hot summer in 2023 that hit harvests, followed by a surge in demand in 2024, in part fuelled by panic-buying following a warning of a massive earthquake, which did not materialise. Unprecedented numbers of tourists hungry for sushi and other foods using rice have also been blamed, as have alleged hoarding by some distributors. Falling acreage For years, with rice consumption falling, government policy has been to reduce the amount of land used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. At the same time, in line with Japan's ageing population, many rice farmers are old and their children don't want to take over. Nearly 90 percent of individual farms are run by farmers over 60, and 70 percent have no successor secured, according to the agricultural ministry. The amount of land used for rice paddies shrank to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) in 2024, down from a peak of 3.4 million hectares in 1961. 'The Japanese authorities have long focused on how to reduce the scale of rice production in the name of market control, and they haven't focused on how to increase rice consumption,' said Tadao Koike, the third-generation master of a Tokyo rice retailer dating back over 90 years. 'Now we are all dealing with the payback,' Koike told AFP. Stockpile The government started to auction some of its emergency reserves in February, having previously tapped into them during disasters. This is first time since the stores were built in 1995 that supply chain problems are behind the move. However, as the latest data show, the move has had little impact so far. Masayuki Ogawa, assistant professor at Utsunomiya University, said this was because the reserve feeds into 'blended rice' and not into the more popular branded grains from a particular region or variety. 'In terms of average prices, the price of brand-name rice has risen enough to offset the effect of stockpiled rice pushing down the average price, making it difficult for retail prices in supermarkets to fall even when stockpiled rice is released,' Ogawa told AFP. Political backlash After years of stagnant or falling prices, inflation is now squeezing Japanese consumers and by extension hitting support for the government. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost non-stop for decades, lost its majority last year and had to cobble together a coalition. And last weekend the farm minister sparked public anger with controversial comments about accessing supplies. Taku Eto told an event that he 'never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me'. Eto resigned but the episode will likely have added to a sense among voters that the LDP -- which faces upper house elections in July -- is out of touch. Still, Marcel Thieliant, at Capital Economics, said 'weekly rice prices are showing signs of stabilisation so rice inflation should start to soften again before long'.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Japan's rice crisis: Prices soar, government under pressure
TOKYO: Japanese inflation data released Friday showed that rice prices last month were a whopping 98 percent higher than a year earlier. AFP looks at the factors behind the sharp increase, which started several months ago, and how it has become a major headache for the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Shortages Experts say that the main reason for the spike in rice prices is simply because of a shortage of the food staple, which for centuries has been deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Factors behind that include a record hot summer in 2023 that hit harvests, followed by a surge in demand in 2024, in part fuelled by panic-buying following a warning of a massive earthquake, which did not materialise. Unprecedented numbers of tourists hungry for sushi and other foods using rice have also been blamed, as have alleged hoarding by some distributors. Falling acreage For years, with rice consumption falling, government policy has been to reduce the amount of land used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. At the same time, in line with Japan's ageing population, many rice farmers are old and their children don't want to take over. Nearly 90 percent of individual farms are run by farmers over 60, and 70 percent have no successor secured, according to the agricultural ministry. The amount of land used for rice paddies shrank to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) in 2024, down from a peak of 3.4 million hectares in 1961. 'The Japanese authorities have long focused on how to reduce the scale of rice production in the name of market control, and they haven't focused on how to increase rice consumption,' said Tadao Koike, the third-generation master of a Tokyo rice retailer dating back over 90 years. 'Now we are all dealing with the payback,' Koike told AFP. Stockpile The government started to auction some of its emergency reserves in February, having previously tapped into them during disasters. This is first time since the stores were built in 1995 that supply chain problems are behind the move. However, as the latest data show, the move has had little impact so far. Masayuki Ogawa, assistant professor at Utsunomiya University, said this was because the reserve feeds into 'blended rice' and not into the more popular branded grains from a particular region or variety. 'In terms of average prices, the price of brand-name rice has risen enough to offset the effect of stockpiled rice pushing down the average price, making it difficult for retail prices in supermarkets to fall even when stockpiled rice is released,' Ogawa told AFP. Political backlash After years of stagnant or falling prices, inflation is now squeezing Japanese consumers and by extension hitting support for the government. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost non-stop for decades, lost its majority last year and had to cobble together a coalition. And last weekend the farm minister sparked public anger with controversial comments about accessing supplies. Taku Eto told an event that he 'never bought rice myself because my supporters donate so much to me'. Eto resigned but the episode will likely have added to a sense among voters that the LDP -- which faces upper house elections in July -- is out of touch. Still, Marcel Thieliant, at Capital Economics, said 'weekly rice prices are showing signs of stabilisation so rice inflation should start to soften again before long'.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Japan's appetite for rice set to keep prices high as farm politics persist
Japan 's efforts to curb soaring rice prices by releasing stockpiles and easing import restrictions have had limited effect, with analysts warning the country's long-standing agricultural policies and supply constraints could keep prices elevated for years. Advertisement Supermarket prices for rice remained stubbornly high at 4,214 yen (US$28.50) per five kilograms in the week to May 4 despite the first decline in 18 weeks after a record peak the previous week, and they were more than double the price from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The persistent price surge, which began in the summer of 2024, has rattled the food sector. Convenience stores have raised prices on rice balls and bento boxes, while beef bowl chains Matsuya and Yoshinoya have shifted to imported or blended rice to contain costs. Several factors are fuelling the spike, according to Ogawa Masayuki, an assistant professor and an agricultural economist at Utsunomiya University. On the demand side, record inbound tourism and heightened hoarding due to fears of a major earthquake along the Nankai Trough have led to a price jump. 'On the supply side, the hot weather [in 2023] caused a significant drop in rice quality,' Ogawa told This Week in Asia. Advertisement The record-breaking summer heat of that year severely affected grain quality and rice yields.
