Japan to repurchase 210,000 tons of rice to stabilize market

The Japanese government has decided to repurchase 210,000 tons of rice to restore national stockpiles to the target level of 1 million tons. Agriculture Minister Norihisa Suzuki stated the move is intended to ensure food security following a period where reserves were significantly depleted to address previous shortages and price spikes.

While the official reasoning focuses on replenishing reserves due to an expected good harvest, analysts suggest the move is also aimed at preventing a sharp collapse in market prices. Recent trends have shown a “reversal phenomenon” where new rice is being sold at lower prices than older stock in some supermarkets.

Agricultural organizations, such as JA Zenchu, have expressed concern that a price crash would threaten the sustainability of rice farming. However, some experts argue that government efforts to prop up high prices may be counterproductive. They suggest that instead of maintaining high prices, policy should focus on reducing production costs to allow farmers to remain viable even at lower market rates, thereby preventing consumer shifts toward foreign rice.