Don’t kidding rice in Japan because you can stay off work – BBC News in Serbian

When the Japanese agriculture minister stated that he never had to buy rice because his supporters give him in large quantities, he was hoping to make smiles.

But it happened the opposite – it was caused by anger that forced him to resign.

Japan is facing the first crisis of living costs in the last few decades, and their favorite food – rice is also hit.

The price is more than doubled in the last year, and import varieties is small.

There he apologized, saying he went « too far » in a recent statement.

After the opposition parties threatened that in the Assembly would seek to vote on him, he resigned.

The resignation of the Minister of Agriculture is a new blow to the minority government of Prime Minister Šigerua Ishiba, which is already facing the fall of popularity among voters.

The rice, it has been shown, can be a powerful driver of attitudes in Japan, and the shortage of this grocery and previously affected political earthquakes.

Due to the growth of rice prices, 1918. The then government fell.

That is why it is not surprising that the price of rice has a role in the fall of Išibe Government ratings.

« Politicians do not go to supermarkets to buy groceries and that’s why they don’t understand, » says 31-year-old Memory huggles from Jokohama for the BBC.

Higuči is the mother of the seven-month-old child.

Good food for her postnatal recovery was crucial, and her daughter will soon start eating solid food.

« I want it to be good, so if prices continue to grow, we may need to reduce the amount of rice we eat my husband and me, » she says.

See: Japanese treat Vagja beef and in Serbia

A set of error?

It is a simple issue of supply and demand, says economist Kunio Nišikava from the University of Ibaraki.

But he believes it is caused by the wrong budget budget.

By 1995. year, the government controlled the amount of rice produced in close cooperation with agricultural cooperatives.

The law was abolished that year, but the Ministry of Agriculture continues to publish demand assessments so farmers could avoid producing too much of the rice.

But says Professor Nišikava, they were wrong in 2023. And 2024.

They assessed demand to 6.8 million tons, while real demand, a agrarian expert was added, was 7.05 million tons.

The demand for rice increased due to a number of tourists who visit Japan and increase the number of people eating in catering facilities after the pandemic of the Koron Virus pandemic.

But the actual production was even lower than the estimated: 6.61 million tons, says Nišikava.

« It is true that the demand for rice jumped for several reasons, including the fact that rice was relatively affordable compared to other food items and the increase in foreign visitors, » said the Ministry of Agriculture for the BBC.

« The quality of rice was not great due to unusually high temperatures, which has also resulted in smaller production of rice ».

No longer pays to grow rice

For many years, rice breeders do not earn enough, says 59-year-old Kosuke Kasahara, whose family generations are engaged in agriculture.

He explains that the production of 60 kilograms of rice costs about 18,500 yen ($ 125.70), but the cooperative in his field of Nigata on the west coast of Japan was offered him last year at a price of 19,000 yen.

« Until three, four years, the government would offer financial incentives to municipalities that agreed to reduce the production of rice, » he added.

The Ministry spokes confirm that the government offered subsidies to those who opt for the production of wheat or soybeans instead of rice.

During this time, the younger farmers decided to produce various types of rice used for Sake, rice crackers or for food of cattle because the demand was declined by the food in Japan until last year.

« I tired of fighting sellers or restaurants who have been asking me to sell the rice in cheap, » says Sinja Tabuci.

But the situation has changed completely and now the price is 60 kilograms of rice from 40,000 to 50,000 yen.

Although they are more than a bad news for customers, it means that many farmers who tortured now will finally be able to earn money.

But since people were angry about the rise in price, the government urgently intervened from the commodity reserves and sold rice to try to lower prices.

Many countries have strategic reserves – inventories of key goods – crude oil or natural gas in case of some extraordinary circumstances.

Many countries in Asia have rice supplies.

In recent years, Japanese rice supplies were used only after natural disasters.

« The government always ordered us that it would not release emergency stocks of rice to control the price, so we felt betrayed, » Tabuchi says.

Despite the rararity decision of the Government to release rice from the reserve, prices continued to grow.

Fight against growing prices

The price of rice also grows in Southeast Asia, where almost 30 percent of global rice production is.

In recent years, the shortages have led economic, political and climatic reasons.

In Japan, the question became so seriously that the country began importing rice from South Korea for the first time in the quarter of the century, although consumers prefer domestic varieties.

Prime Minister Ishiba also indicated an increase in the import of American rice while his government continues to negotiate the trade agreement with Washington and President Donald Tramps on Customs Revenge.

But customers like Memory Huggles say it is unlikely to buy naist rice.

« We’ve been talking about local production for local consumption for a long time, » she says.

« There must be a way for Japanese farmers earning, while at the same time, they can afford domestic products, » he adds.

The opinion of farmers is divided.

« You may hear that the industry is old and decreases, but it is not necessarily true, » Tabuchi says, who considers that the government is too repented by this sector.

« Many older farmers can afford to sell rice cheap because they have pensions and property, but the younger generation must earn.

« Instead of guaranteeing the income of all farmers and stirred in the market, the government should allow non-profit farmers to fail. »

But Kasahara agreed with that.

« Agriculture in rural areas like our means to be part of the community.

« If we allow you to destroy these farmers, those areas will fail. »

He claims that the Government should determine the guaranteed purchase price of 32,000 to 36,000 yen for 60 pounds of rice, which is lower than today’s price, but still allows farmers to have a profit.

And given what happened to the current Minister of Agriculture, it is a sensitive topic for politicians.

In Japan, key national elections should be held this summer, so it is crucial for the parties that consumers and farmers are satisfied.