The average price of newly harvested rice in Japan surged by 48 percent in September compared to a year earlier, driven by higher production costs and stronger market demand following a shortage, according to local media.
Until recently, rice had remained reasonably priced, even as food and commodity prices continued to rise.
However, the price of rice, Japan's staple food, has surged significantly, impacting both households and food businesses, with growing concerns that these elevated prices could persist.
Yoshiki Nakao, the owner of an Onigiri store in central Tokyo, expressed concern that the price of rice—a crucial ingredient in Onigiri, Japan's popular rice balls—will remain high.
"There is a sense of crisis. The price of rice has risen by nearly 1,000 yen (about 6.55 U.S. dollars) per five kilograms compared to last year. So, we are doing our best to adjust prices," he said.
In its latest consumer price index report, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications revealed that rice prices climbed by 44.7 percent year-on-year in September, marking the largest increase since September 1975.
The rise has been attributed to shortages caused by extreme summer heat and by wholesalers hoarding rice in anticipation of a potential earthquake in August.
The country's Agriculture ministry forecasts that private-sector rice inventories will rise to 1.62 million tons by June 2025, up from the all-time low of 1.53 million tons a year earlier.
Despite expectations for an eventual rebound in supply, experts believe that rice prices will remain elevated.
"Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan's overall price levels rose, but rice prices remained stable. At that time, it was hard for rice prices to increase, but with recent shortages, prices have skyrocketed. Even if supply improves, prices are unlikely to fall back to last year's levels," said Masayuki Ogawa, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Utsunomiya University's School of Agriculture.
Some experts argue that rice prices have been too low for a long time and are now merely adjusting to align with the price increases seen in other commodities.
"In Japan, rice farming is primarily family-run. Because these family businesses lack the resources of larger corporations, they often accept lower prices during negotiations. As a result, rice prices have struggled to rise, even as prices for other goods have soared. The current shortage, though unfortunate, has provided an opportunity for prices to increase," the professor explained.
Experts suggest that rice prices are likely to stabilize at current levels, though the unpredictability of recent climate events makes future projections uncertain.
High production costs, shortages drive up rice prices in Japan
Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) have made suggestions on advancing the strategy of invigorating China through science and education and seeking development through innovation in meetings during the NPC's third session.
The suggestions echoed the government work report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the opening meeting of the NPC annual session on Wednesday, highlighting efforts to implement the strategy, adhere to innovation-driven development and unleash the creativity of the digital economy.
Huang He, an NPC deputy from southwest China's Sichuan Province, said the report reviews China's breakthroughs and achievements in scientific research, which greatly boost confidence among the Chinese people.
Huang called for strengthened efforts to make the province a key area supporting innovation in western China.
"Chengdu serves as an innovation hub in western China, gathering a lot of original research and development achievements. I suggest accelerating the building of the city circle around Chengdu, while building Sichuan into a key supporting area for the national strategic hinterland and core supporting area for the important strategic backup. I also suggest categorized support for original innovation in big cities, and synergized support from middle-sized and small cities for the application and industrialization of innovation achievements, especially building Meishan into a pilot base," said Huang, also secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee in Meishan City of Sichuan.
Lin Feng, an NPC deputy from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, said the report lays out the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions and the overall improvement of the national innovation mechanism.
"We empower the development of equipment products throughout their life cycle through digital and intelligent technologies, build a ship power and high-end energy equipment industry system with a full industrial chain of research and development , production, equipment supply and full-life integrated support services driven by efficient digital coordination, and create the core driving force for high-quality development of the science and technology industry. The advantages of school-enterprise cooperation are fully utilized, which has effectively promoted the deep integration of scientific, technological and industrial innovation," said Lin, also Party committee secretary and director of the No. 703 Research Institute under China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited.
Li Zheng, an NPC deputy and sci-tech professional from south China's Guangdong Province, said the report maps out specific deployments to the artificial intelligence and robot industries, which inspires and encourages him a lot.
"At present, artificial intelligence and robots, as representatives of new quality productive forces, are increasingly becoming new heights of scientific and technological competition, new tracks for future industries, and new engines for economic development. As a researcher in the robotics industry, I have a few suggestions -- strengthen talent training and introduction and strengthen research on core technologies; introduce special supporting policies to help the industrial chain become autonomous and controllable; improve the ecosystem of the industrial chain and expand market application scenarios," said Li, also R&D manager of Guangdong Ucan Robot Technology Co., Ltd.
Jin Li, an NPC deputy from Shanghai, called for a full play to China's advantages in education so as to cultivate more innovative talents.
"Facing the tide of innovation and the changes in the world, we urgently need to cultivate a large number of young talents who like to think about solving problems from the root, and quickly transform the advantages of a big country in education into the advantages of a strong country in innovation. Therefore, schools need to build pilot areas for basic research and top innovative talent training, enhance the innovative ability training, and build a good ecology for innovation. Meanwhile, we need to cultivate people with a broad vision, and cultivate high-potential and multi-potential 'stem cell-type' talents to make the best preparations for the rapidly changing world. Our reform should give students the ability to build and construct knowledge structures independently to meet the country's needs for top-notch innovative talents," said Jin, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Fudan University.
NPC deputies make suggestions on education, innovation in echo with gov't work report
