Japanese agricultural policy and disaster recovery

Japanese agricultural leadership has focused on rice production stability, disaster recovery, and food security. In early September, Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki inspected rice preservation experiments and assessed heavy rain damage in Ishikawa Prefecture, where flooding submerged approximately 400 hectares of rice paddies.

By late September, Minister Kazuo Yana addressed concerns regarding a significant drop in estimated rice prices and discussed utilizing the Food System Law to stabilize supply and price formation. During visits to Fukushima Prefecture, the Minister pledged to work toward lifting international import restrictions on food products from the region. Additionally, discussions included the outlook for egg prices and the upcoming launch of the eMAFF 2.0 administrative application to support farmers and fishermen.

In early October, Minister Yana conducted further inspections of disaster-stricken areas following recent earthquakes and heavy rains. In Kumamoto Prefecture, he visited the Yatsushiro region to assess damage to the local igusa (rush grass) industry, where reports indicated that 46 workshops collapsed and approximately 450 specialized weaving machines were damaged.

Returning to Ishikawa Prefecture, Yana inspected areas affected by both the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rainfall. He stated the national government intends to do ‘everything possible’ to assist victims facing shortages of funds and personnel. During a press conference, Yana declined to comment on allegations regarding controversial remarks about cutting road budgets for municipalities that do not support the Liberal Democratic Party, stating he would only address matters related to the inspection.