Japan imposes restrictions, fines on rice dealers

Rice dealers who resell grain from government emergency reserves face fines and prison terms, Japan’s Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on June 13, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

“We are taking maximum measures to prevent the potential risk of resale <…> Resale of rice will lead to a further increase in rice prices, which is undesirable <…> This is a necessary government decision aimed at ensuring that as many people as possible receive rice from government reserves,” Koizumi said.

According to Koizumi, the government decree will be drafted in accordance with the Law on Emergency Measures to Stabilize Living Conditions of the Population.

The law will take effect on June 23.

In particular, the decree will prohibit the resale of rice (including online) at a price higher than the original retail price.

At the same time, the maximum prison term will be one year. The fine will be up to ¥1 million.

Recall that the government decree primarily concerns the state’s emergency rice reserves distributed to retailers. This is polished and unpolished rice, available in supermarkets and other stores for about ¥2,000 per 5 kg.

Recall that the law was passed in 1973 during the oil crisis to regulate the sale of essential goods.

Tags: Japan, restrictions, rice