Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The price of rice in Japan in April this year increased by 98.4% compared to the same period last year, Azernews reports.

This growth has set a record for the entire period of such statistics since 1971.

The price of rice in Japan has consistently risen over the past year due to poor harvests caused by a series of natural disasters and extreme heat. Another contributing factor, according to local observers, is an increase in the number of tourists, which has driven up demand.

In early May, the price of rice in Japan began to decline for the first time in four and a half months, but its current value remains twice as high as it was a year ago.

The surge in rice prices has already cost the Minister of Agriculture, Taku Eto, his position. Eto unsuccessfully joked that he had never bought rice himself because his friends gave him large quantities of it.

The young politician Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, became the new head of the ministry. He vowed to do everything possible to bring prices down, calling his new role “responsible for rice.”

Interestingly, Japan is one of the few countries where rice consumption has remained a cultural cornerstone despite modern dietary shifts. This makes the price surge not only an economic issue but also a significant cultural challenge, as rice is deeply embedded in traditional cuisine and daily life.