In Fukuoka, the first shipments of freshly harvested Miyazaki “Koshihikari” rice have begun arriving, offering a welcome change from months of reliance on government stockpiles. Wholesale distributor Kanegae Co. says it expects to buy more than 100 tons, milling and shipping about 20 tons a day to local retailers. The grains are lustrous and aromatic, but prices have nearly doubled from past years, driven by heavy rain, heat damage, and uncertain yields.
Meanwhile, mountains of 2021-vintage government reserve rice — once seen as a lifeline — remain unsold. Distribution delays and cancellations have left Kanegae with 5,000 bags still on hand, to be sold at a steep discount before the end-of-August deadline.
In city supermarkets, Miyazaki new rice sells briskly despite prices 1.5 to 2 times higher than usual — about ¥5,163 for five kilograms — with shoppers divided between splurging for freshness and sticking to cheaper reserves. At discount chain MrMax, the gap is stark: new rice at ¥4,210 versus reserve stock at under ¥2,000.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has acknowledged shortages and pledged to shift agricultural policy toward boosting production, but with the “rice crisis” still unfolding, the balance between cost, quality, and supply remains uncertain.
by MagazineKey4532