Title In response to rising prices due to soaring temperatures and extreme heat waves fueled by climate change, the Japanese government has released its rice reserves from the one million-ton stockpile. This measure is not new, as the reserves have been used in times of emergency before, but it is the first time they have been utilized due to disruption in distribution. The shortage triggered by extremely hot weather was followed by an increase in demand, leading to a surge in prices. To address this issue, the government released 210,000 tons of rice from its stockpile. The agriculture ministry changed regulations to allow for the release when distribution is deemed stagnant, which had previously only been permitted during crop failures or disasters. Despite newly harvested rice hitting shelves in autumn, rice prices continued to rise. According to a government survey in February, the latest average retail price for a five-kilogram bag was 3688 yen (approximately 24 USD), an increase from 2023 yen last year. Last month, the agriculture ministry decided to allow the sale of their stockpile of rice under new rules. This is an unprecedented move for Japan, which enacted a law to stockpile rice in 1995 after a major crop failure two years earlier. The release of the rice reserves is expected to improve the situation of stagnant distribution and help ease the burden on consumers facing surging prices.

Title In response to rising prices due to soaring temperatures and extreme heat waves fueled by climate change, the Japanese government has released its rice reserves from the one million-ton stockpile. This measure is not new, as the reserves have been used in times of emergency before, but it is the first time they have been utilized due to disruption in distribution. The shortage triggered by extremely hot weather was followed by an increase in demand, leading to a surge in prices. To address this issue, the government released 210,000 tons of rice from its stockpile. The agriculture ministry changed regulations to allow for the release when distribution is deemed stagnant, which had previously only been permitted during crop failures or disasters. Despite newly harvested rice hitting shelves in autumn, rice prices continued to rise. According to a government survey in February, the latest average retail price for a five-kilogram bag was 3688 yen (approximately 24 USD), an increase from 2023 yen last year. Last month, the agriculture ministry decided to allow the sale of their stockpile of rice under new rules. This is an unprecedented move for Japan, which enacted a law to stockpile rice in 1995 after a major crop failure two years earlier. The release of the rice reserves is expected to improve the situation of stagnant distribution and help ease the burden on consumers facing surging prices.