Japanese Farmers Push for Reforms in Rice Market Regulation

In Hokkaido, one of Japan’s leading rice-growing regions, more and more farmers are voicing frustration with government policy. Nobuo Kubo, 72, the third generation in his family to cultivate rice, said he has no intention of passing the farm on to his children. According to him, agricultural policy relies only on temporary fixes, leaving farmers without a clear vision for the future.

Dissatisfaction grew especially after rice prices doubled and the government failed to properly manage the regulated supply of grain. The crisis became one of the key reasons for the Liberal Democratic Party’s defeat in July elections and the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in September. Rice also complicated trade talks with the Trump administration, which demanded higher imports of U.S. grain.

The new LDP leader, to be elected this Saturday, will almost certainly become Japan’s next prime minister. With the cost of living soaring, rice prices have become a central issue: families are changing their diets, and some restaurants have even introduced fines for customers who leave rice uneaten. Among the frontrunners is Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who has announced sweeping reforms for the rice sector.

Japan’s rice market is unique worldwide, with the government and agricultural cooperatives overseeing production, loans, and distribution, while also setting production guidelines. This system, meant to prevent oversupply and price swings, proved fragile last year. A poor harvest, a surge in tourism, and panic buying triggered by earthquake rumors caused shortages and sent rice prices skyrocketing.

In August, the government announced a major policy shift: instead of limiting production, it will encourage larger harvests. Part of the crop will be allocated for export, with the possibility of redirecting supplies back to the domestic market in case of future shortages. Still, farmers like Kubo remain skeptical, insisting that policymakers must see conditions in the fields firsthand if they want to make decisions that truly reflect agricultural realities.

Tags: rice, Japan