Editorial

15:55 JST, February 6, 2025

Rice, a staple food, has continued to rise in price for some time, putting a strain on household finances. The government should make an effective release of stockpiled rice and work to stabilize prices as soon as possible.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has revised its operational policy for releasing stockpiled rice. Previously the reasons for the release were limited to a poor harvest, among other situations, but now it can also be released when smooth distribution is disrupted.

The rice will be sold to the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh) and other entities, on the condition that the government buys back the same amount within one year. The specific timing and scale of the release has reportedly not been determined yet.

There has been a clear rise in the price of rice since last........

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