A farmers’ market in Tokyo, Japan, has recently launched a promotion allowing customers to buy rice at affordable prices by filling small wooden boxes with as much rice as possible. (Reuters)

Affected by heatwaves, Japan has been facing a rice shortage since last year, causing rice prices to rise 1.5 to 2 times. Due to the soaring rice prices, people prefer to eat more noodles and bread instead. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has sounded the alarm, stating that this "de-riceification" phenomenon will lead to a further decline in the farming industry.

According to a survey by Japanese media, 5-kilogram packages of domestically produced rice in Tokyo supermarkets are priced at around 5,000 yen (about 40 Singapore dollars), a record high. The previous Shigeru Ishiba government introduced policies to lower rice prices, and there are currently criticisms that the Takashi Onodera government has no intention of reducing rice prices since taking office.

A Japanese housewife in her 50s said: "There is no sign of rice prices falling at all. The New Year is approaching, and I want to buy new domestically produced rice, but I still can’t bring myself to buy it when I see the price. Since rice prices soared, my family only eats rice three times a week, and the rest of the time we eat ramen and udon noodles."

The Nikkei reported that due to population decline, domestic rice consumption in Japan was already on a downward trend, and recently, due to high rice prices, there has been a more significant "de-riceification" phenomenon.

Data shows that the decline in rice consumption among elderly Japanese people is faster than that among young people. The average daily intake of rice and rice processed foods for people in their 20s is 319.2 grams, an 8.1% decrease from 20 years ago. For people in their 60s, the average daily intake is even lower at only 288.6 grams, a 25.4% decrease.

Consumer spending on staple foods such as bread and instant noodles, which are alternatives to rice, has increased. According to surveys, bread sales in Japan have increased by approximately 10% to 20% compared to the previous year, leading to the inference that many Japanese people have switched from rice to bread for breakfast.

Regarding the decrease in rice consumption among Japanese people, a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries pointed out that a drop in demand for domestically produced rice will definitely hit Japanese rice farmers. If rice farmers reduce production, this will create a vicious cycle, and rice prices will continue to rise.

In addition, rice has long been the staple food of the Japanese people, and the authorities have always adopted measures to support rice farmers. If the culture of eating rice disappears, it will be a fatal blow to Japan’s food security policy.

To revitalize the rice industry, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture has launched an unprecedented "Onigiri Campaign", not only calling on Japanese food businesses to launch innovative rice products but also encouraging young people to eat onigiri through campus activities.

The "Onigiri Cheerleading Team" organized by the Japan Onigiri Association targets high school students and posts creative onigiri recipes on social media. For this campaign, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has created a triangular onigiri mascot named "Makimaki San" for the first time.

The new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Norikazu Suzuki, has proposed issuing "rice coupons" to citizens, and this proposal has been included in the newly passed budget. However, it has been criticized due to the small amount of the coupons. The normal annual rice consumption of a Japanese family is 50,000 yen, but the rice coupons issued by the authorities this time are only 3,000 yen per person, which is a drop in the bucket. Comments point out that supporting rice farmers and lowering rice prices will be a major test for Prime Minister Takashi Onodera to appease public opinion in the future.

A farmers’ market in Tokyo, Japan, has recently launched a promotion allowing customers to buy rice at affordable prices by filling small wooden boxes with as much rice as possible. (Reuters)

Affected by heatwaves, Japan has been facing a rice shortage since last year, causing rice prices to rise 1.5 to 2 times. Due to the soaring rice prices, people prefer to eat more noodles and bread instead. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has sounded the alarm, stating that this "de-riceification" phenomenon will lead to a further decline in the farming industry.

According to a survey by Japanese media, 5-kilogram packages of domestically produced rice in Tokyo supermarkets are priced at around 5,000 yen (about 40 Singapore dollars), a record high. The previous Shigeru Ishiba government introduced policies to lower rice prices, and there are currently criticisms that the Takashi Onodera government has no intention of reducing rice prices since taking office.

A Japanese housewife in her 50s said: "There is no sign of rice prices falling at all. The New Year is approaching, and I want to buy new domestically produced rice, but I still can’t bring myself to buy it when I see the price. Since rice prices soared, my family only eats rice three times a week, and the rest of the time we eat ramen and udon noodles."

The Nikkei reported that due to population decline, domestic rice consumption in Japan was already on a downward trend, and recently, due to high rice prices, there has been a more significant "de-riceification" phenomenon.

Data shows that the decline in rice consumption among elderly Japanese people is faster than that among young people. The average daily intake of rice and rice processed foods for people in their 20s is 319.2 grams, an 8.1% decrease from 20 years ago. For people in their 60s, the average daily intake is even lower at only 288.6 grams, a 25.4% decrease.

Consumer spending on staple foods such as bread and instant noodles, which are alternatives to rice, has increased. According to surveys, bread sales in Japan have increased by approximately 10% to 20% compared to the previous year, leading to the inference that many Japanese people have switched from rice to bread for breakfast.

Regarding the decrease in rice consumption among Japanese people, a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries pointed out that a drop in demand for domestically produced rice will definitely hit Japanese rice farmers. If rice farmers reduce production, this will create a vicious cycle, and rice prices will continue to rise.

In addition, rice has long been the staple food of the Japanese people, and the authorities have always adopted measures to support rice farmers. If the culture of eating rice disappears, it will be a fatal blow to Japan’s food security policy.

To revitalize the rice industry, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture has launched an unprecedented "Onigiri Campaign", not only calling on Japanese food businesses to launch innovative rice products but also encouraging young people to eat onigiri through campus activities.

The "Onigiri Cheerleading Team" organized by the Japan Onigiri Association targets high school students and posts creative onigiri recipes on social media. For this campaign, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has created a triangular onigiri mascot named "Makimaki San" for the first time.

The new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Norikazu Suzuki, has proposed issuing "rice coupons" to citizens, and this proposal has been included in the newly passed budget. However, it has been criticized due to the small amount of the coupons. The normal annual rice consumption of a Japanese family is 50,000 yen, but the rice coupons issued by the authorities this time are only 3,000 yen per person, which is a drop in the bucket. Comments point out that supporting rice farmers and lowering rice prices will be a major test for Prime Minister Takashi Onodera to appease public opinion in the future.