Government Urges Calm Over Japan Rice Shortage
It's the staple diet for millions of Japanese, but in shops and supermarkets across the country shoppers looking for rice are finding only empty shelves. And where rice is available, many stores are setting limits on how much their customers can buy.
Rice stocks are typically low at this time of year, but the current rice shortage in Japan is unusual and has a number of causes.
Last year's hot, dry summer led to the smallest harvest in 25 years.
Then, earlier this summer, Japan's weather agency warned of an increased risk of a megaquake, which with the onset of typhoon season led many consumers to stockpile rice.
The record number of foreign tourists visiting Japan this year is also believed to have put pressure on rice supplies.
In response to consumer concerns, Japan's agriculture minister, Tetsushi Sakamoto, has urged people to stay calm, buy only as much rice as they need, and stop panic buying.
At a news conference on August 27, Sakamoto said that rice had grown well this year and in some areas harvesting and transportation will begin earlier than usual. New rice should become available soon, and Sakamoto said the supply of rice should recover gradually.
However, even if more rice becomes available, the price of rice is still very high. According to Kyodo News the cost of rice jumped by 18% in July, due to increased demand, and many believe prices won't fall soon.
There are also concerns about Japan's long-term agricultural policy. Some believe that as climate change progresses, and summers get hotter, Japan needs to develop rice varieties that can resist higher temperatures.
Others have also criticized the government's policy of reducing the amount of land used to grow rice, which is done to keep rice prices stable.
Speaking to The Mainichi Shimbun, Kazuhito Yamashita, a former bureaucrat at the agriculture ministry, said that it was "a terrible policy" and that Japan should be producing more rice — and even exporting it.
