Japan to release 210,000 tons from rice reserves due to surging prices

Food inflation due to currency purchasing power collapse is real, this is more proof. Global Proxy Wars and Central Bank Money Printing Destroy Currencies.

Yen today buys over 5x LESS real assets than less than five years ago. CRB index, 41% food, 39% energy, 20% metals, has gone from just under $110 to $377 today, meanwhile Yen has dropped from about 90 to 153 today.

Scary loss in purchasing power, hence inflation.

Rice exports have increased to 30,000 tons. Government policy pays farmers to grow less rice.

Is the released rice from Fukushima or just the storehouse in Fukushima?

We bought one year of rice for a low price.

White rice has VERY little nutritional value, stick to brown rice folks and thank me later!

The ministry suspects wholesalers and farmers are hoarding rice in anticipation of further price hikes.

And yet the farmers are heavily subsidized by our taxes.

Greedy little fellows aren't they?

Greedy little fellows aren't they?

Sure are. And then you see how few rural people vote to elect the LDP in those areas who keep this system going, despite damage to economy.

Nothing beats Govt. backed monopoly pricing power, I'd advise all to skip white rice, empty carbs with no fiber etc. Get yourself some quality brown rice, invest in health!

this will probably have ripple effect on other staples too? Like wheat/bread, potates, etc?? We can't catch a break, can we?

I am amazed, BUT how much did it cost the gov. to buy and store in dehumid warehouses??? Any hints on that? The thing I do not u'stand is that jpn gov has no public consultations? I prefer potatoes to rice, they have more nutrients, but when in jpn follow better half's 'advice'. basmati is better for making bakes. I do believe in food reserves, invaluable since Egyptian times. But beware, history tells the future (apologies) please refer your Gov. to the historic Eur BUTTER mountain. crashed dairy prices. oops essential kiddywink white drink price? you guess

Better learn how to cook potatoes then

First of all, if the government did not store these huge volumes, there would not be a shortage as most of the rice will come from the 2024 harvest. So, useless madness.

The government buying these stocks drives up the price and subsidising rice growers when the price is high is also complete nonsense.

so, once again, just greedy people and companies

Might helo if they didn't slap a more than 700% tariff on imported rice. I'll take Basmati over Japanese any day. Frangrant, light, and not a disaster for your blood sugar levels.

The government stores rice, and other items like gas and oil for the times when there is some type of crisis like a crop failure.

Basmati rice is available for a lower price than Japanese rice.

I bring my own rice to Japan from overseas. Just for the novelty.

Bringing rice to Japan is like carrying coals to Newcastle...

Their country..

Their culture..

Their rules..

Their rice..

GO JAPAN..

old rice, tasty

White rice has VERY little nutritional value, stick to brown rice folks and thank me later!

This is a myth

The bags to the right are still on palettes so could be moved in bulk reasonably easily. I don't see any easy ways of moving the mountain of unpaletted bags. It seems an odd way to stack them.

The rice is held in about 300 facilities around the country. They started stockpiling it in 1995 after a 1993 crop failure. They store it for 5 years before selling it, mainly as animal feed. [Source: 'The Guardian']

After World War II, in order to make bread popular in Japan, America heavily promoted the idea that "rice is bad for your health" and "it has low nutritional value."

However, rice continues to be the staple food of the Japanese, and is still loved by many people today.

The reason Asia has a larger population than Europe is because rice is their staple food.

If the scorching heat of summer continues, it will naturally affect crops. The only reason rice is so expensive is because of abnormal weather.

Agent-Neo -

The only reason rice is so expensive is because of abnormal weather.

Actually that is not the case.

Weather plays a part.

Govt policies, middle-man control, insanely small rice plots, subsidies, withholding supply to create demand etc etc.

To think it's just the weather is one dimensional.

Bringing rice to Japan is like carrying coals to Newcastle...

I do that too.

With these high prices I’m expecting a bumper crop this year, as dormant paddy fields get put back into service.

Can’t help but think things would be better for consumers if there were a free market in rice though.

It’s insane to go shopping and consider what percent of your shopping bill is for just rice.