Rice prices in Japan have fallen for a fifth straight week. The agriculture ministry attributes the decline to wholesalers’ attempts to reduce their inventories.

The ministry surveys rice prices at around 1,000 supermarkets nationwide and releases weekly figures.

The average price of a 5-kilogram bag, including tax, stood at 3,980 yen, or almost 25 dollars, in the week until March 15.

That’s down about 20 cents from the previous week, for the fifth straight weekly decline.

The average fell below 4,000 yen for the first time since last August, when a large volume of less expensive government stockpile rice circulated on the market.

The average for single-variety, single-origin rice fell 15 cents to 25.6 dollars, while that for blended rice dropped 33 cents to 23 dollars.

Many people in the rice industry expect prices to keep falling.

Published Date: March 23, 2026