Latest news with #rice
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
In Japanese politics, rice is the 'third rail'
In the United States, Social Security is often referred to as the "third rail," meaning you touch it at your peril. In Japan, the "third rail" is rice. You disturb the supply of Japanese-grown ultrahigh-quality rice at a reasonable price at your peril. People around the world often do not understand that. For many, rice is rice. The U.S. government certainly does not get it. But in Japan, every region has its rice varieties and brands that are promoted and treasured for their subtle taste and texture differences. The Japanese have no trouble identifying which region produced the rice and its grade with just one bite. Japan should hold far more global rice tasting competitions, similar to wine tasting. The highest-class restaurants and Japanese inns feature the highest quality rice that is grown in their area. It is part of the Japanese travel experience to sample the cuisine in every region and rice is an integral part of it. Rice cultivation in Japan dates back to the Yayoi Period, approximately 2,500 years ago. It is part of the nation's most ancient religious rituals. Every Shinto shrine in Japan today has prominent displays of local residents' offerings, including large bags of locally produced rice and casks of sake made from that rice. Stay updated on Japan's rice crisis. Quality journalism is more crucial than ever. Help us get the story right. For a limited time, we're offering a discounted subscription plan. Unlimited access US$30 US$18 /mo FOREVER subscribe NOW When the Japanese discuss food security, they are primarily referring to rice. There is flexibility when it comes to imports of wheat, corn and beef, but Japanese-grown rice will be protected, whatever the cost. If we need to import more foreign-grown rice to resolve the tariff dispute with the U.S. over cars, we will utilize it in food processing and distribute it as Japanese aid to foreign countries. But the reality is that Japan faces severe challenges in its rice production ecosystem. Far too many farmers are above 65 with no successors. Far too many rice-growing farms are suboptimal in terms of the acreage available to support the cost of investing in highly automated AI-based production technologies. The Japanese government has been locked in a conundrum for decades: Maintain the price of rice grown in Japan at a government-set level that allows farmers to survive economically, but not to prosper. A policy then emerged to pay farmers to reduce the area planted with rice and leave it fallow or to switch to other crops. The system was rigid and lacked the flexibility to adapt to climate change or years with excessive rainfall, drought or extended high temperatures. The policy relied on massive warehouses of stored rice stock. However, using that to maintain stable market prices while keeping farmers financially sound requires political leadership, which Japan currently lacks. Today, Japan faces the consequences of that policy failure, marked by both empty grocery store shelves for rice and skyrocketing prices. With incredibly high rice prices becoming a significant voter issue ahead of the upcoming Upper House election, the Ishiba administration is engaged in a desperate attempt to stave off a third and final election defeat on July 20, which would force the cabinet to resign en masse. Who do they turn to? The Koizumi family. In the early 2000s, the prime minister, to great fanfare from abroad, Junichiro Koizumi, decided to privatize what was then a world-class postal system. The post offices, together with on-site banking and insurance, provided excellent service and also served as a social lifeline to isolated rural communities in Japan. He broke it into multiple pieces and then walked away. The service deterioration started almost immediately. Recently, the postal system has reached a nadir, with a five-year ban being imposed on the use of its national truck fleet to move mail due to safety violations involving alcohol testing of its drivers. Now, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has tasked farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi to find quick solutions to the rice system. While good-intentioned, like his father, he could inadvertently destroy the Japanese rice-growing culture, which has existed for more than 2,500 years. The major issues for rice farmers have been the same ones for quite some time. While the overall population is declining steadily, the average age of Japanese rice farmers now exceeds the normal retirement age and is increasing steadily. For decades, government policy was to intentionally reduce the amount of acreage under rice cultivation, despite the climate's impact on production. Under trade pressures, Japan imports over 750,000 metric tons of rice rather than investing in growing more of its own. The average acreage under cultivation by each farmer is too small to support investment in large-scale automation. Farmers are paid to not produce more rice. The Agricultural Ministry has historically attempted to achieve two contradictory objectives — maintaining a low consumer price of rice while keeping rice farmers barely afloat financially. And a third goal has been added: food security, which complicates the already bad calculus. Instead of paying farmers not to grow rice, we should be paying them to consolidate smaller plots from retiring farmers into larger ones and then provide financial and hands-on advanced technology so they can confidently invest in large-scale automation. We should conduct R&D to create new high-quality Japanese rice varieties that can thrive in the higher temperatures now experienced throughout Japan, especially in the highest-quality rice-growing regions. Food security means that the warehouses of rice inventory need to be strictly maintained to ensure it is not spoiled and tapped into when required, but immediately replenished. Keep the amateurs out to make a name for themselves away from rice. Japan's third rail will take them if they inadvertently damage our food security. Edo Naito is a commentator on Japanese politics, law and history. He is a retired international business attorney and has held board of director and executive positions at several U.S. and Japanese multinational companies.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Food Is Once Again a Hot Election Issue as Japan Goes to Polls
Soaring rice prices have become a flashpoint for public frustration in Japan, and a key issue in the upcoming election. Welcome to the new Business of Food newsletter, covering how the world feeds itself in a changing economy and climate, from farming to supply chains to consumer trends. This week, Sakura Murakami looks at the political power of rice in Japan. Any tips or feedback? Email food czar Agnieszka de Sousa. And if you aren't yet signed up to receive this newsletter, please do so here.
NHK
2 days ago
- Business
- NHK
Japan ministry says rice harvest to surge by record on high prices
Japan's agriculture ministry says this year's rice harvest will likely increase by more than half a million tons from last year as prices remain high. The ministry has announced an outlook for 2025 rice production as of the end of June. The estimate says that about 1.36 million hectares will be dedicated to growing table rice this year. That's up about 100,000 hectares from 2024. The harvest is likely to increase as much as 560,000 tons to 7.35 million tons. The estimate represents the largest year-on-year growth since the ministry began the rice production survey in 2004. It is also an increase of 160,000 tons from April. Framers have cut acreage for animal feed rice about half, while expanding that for human consumption. Total 2025 rice acreage including animal feed, is little changed from last year at about 1.52 million hectares. Officials at the agriculture ministry said higher table rice prices have encouraged farmers to increase production for human consumption except for some areas where producers are too old to boost the output."
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
How Rice Prices Could Influence Japan's Election
The rising price of rice could be the make-or-break issue in Japan's upcoming election on Sunday. Surging tourism and a bad harvest are among the factors that have sent rice prices soaring in recent months. To tackle the issue, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is pushing for measures to curb the price tag increase. Yet, this might risk alienating the farming community, historically a stronghold for government support. Bloomberg's Shery Ahn has more. (Source: Bloomberg)
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Oversupply, low prices driving South Korean rice farmers to switch crops, explore new markets
South Korea is facing a problem - too much rice. It buys huge amounts of rice from its farmers to take excess supply off the market and stabilise prices. The government is encouraging rice farmers to switch to other crops. But farmers say it is not that simple. CNA's Lim Yun Suk has this story.
