What is the ruckus on rice in Japan that the minister also went to the chair- 4 factor

Japan Rice Crisis: Rice crisis is going on in Japan nowadays. The data of inflation released on Friday, 23 May revealed that rice prices last month were 98 percent higher than a year ago. That means about two times. The special thing is that in the affair of rice, the Japanese Agriculture Minister has gone to the chair. Let us understand which factor is behind the rapid increase in the price of rice and how it has become a major headache for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government.

Factor No. 1- Rice shortage

Experts say that the main reason for the increase in rice prices is its supply deficiency. Rice is such a staple food in Japan that has been deeply absorbed in Japanese culture for centuries.

Rice bags kept for sale in a supermarket in Tokyo

Factors behind the shortage of rice include record scorching heat in 2023, affecting the crop. On the other hand, demand increased in 2024, after a few extent of large -scale earthquake warning, people shopped in panic. Although there was no earthquake of that level, but due to large scale shopping, there was a shortage of rice in the open market.

One reason for this is also being told about the hobby of tourists coming from outside in Japan. It is believed that the crush of another dish using sushi and rice among these tourists has increased unprecedented. Along with this, some distributors have also been accused of hoarding rice.

Factor No. 2- Lower farming

For years, there was a decline in rice consumption in Japan. So the government there made such a policy that instead of growing other crops instead of rice, there should be emphasis. Also, according to the increasing population of Japan, many rice farmers have grown old and their children do not want to handle this work of farming.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, about 90 percent of individual forms are run by farmers above 60, and 70 percent have no successor. The amount of land used for rice fields declined to 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) in 2024, which is much lower than the highest level of 3.4 million hectares in 1961.

Tado Koike, the third generation master of the Tokyo rice retailer, over 90 years old, said, “Japanese officials have long focused on how to reduce the scale of rice production in the name of market control, and they have not focused on how to increase the consumption of rice.”

Koek told AFP, “Now we are all dealing with pebacks.”

Factor Number 3- Decreased stock

The government started auction of some of its emergency reserves (reserve) in February. Earlier they were used during disasters, but now it is being used due to reduced rice supply. This is the first time after the store was built in 1995 that the reason behind the sale of rice of the reserve is the problem of supply chain.

But the latest data shows, this step has so far had very little impact. Assistant Professor Masayuki Ogawa at the University of Utsunomia said that this is because the reserve contains “mixed rice”, not a particular area or more popular branded grains.

Ogawa told AFP, “In terms of average prices, the price of brand-name rice has increased so much that the average price has not decreased a lot due to the introduction of reserved rice. It has become difficult to fall in retail prices in the supermarket even after the release of reserve rice.”

Factor No. 4- Political crisis

After years of stability or falling prices, the people of Japan are having a witch of inflation and it is affecting public support for the government. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan ruled for almost without stopping for decades, but lost its majority last year and had to form an alliance.

Japan’s Agriculture Minister Taku Eato had to resign

Not only this, Japan’s Agriculture Minister Taku Eto gave such a statement that the public was enraged and had to resign from his post. Taku Eto said in an event that he never bought rice from himself because my supporters donate me so much “.

Etho had to resign in the midst of a ruckus, but only this does not seem to be over the problem of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This case must have created a feeling among the voters that the LDP has been cut off from the public. It is a matter of relief that Marsel Theilent in Capital Economics has said that the prices of weekly rice are showing signs of stagnation, so rice inflation should start to soften again soon.

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(Tagstotranslate) Japan