(Mainichi Japan)

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan’s agricultural cooperatives have slashed advance payments to rice producers by about 20 to 40 percent on average from the previous year in 16 of the country’s 47 prefectures as demand shrank, a Kyodo News tally showed Wednesday.

The lower payments reflect a decline in consumption due to price rises caused by supply shortages since two years ago, as well as the government’s emergency stockpile releases, increased rice imports and higher production this year, the cooperatives said.

The payment for the Koshihikari cultivar in Tochigi Prefecture fell 45 percent to 15,500 yen ($1,010) per 60 kilograms.

“The prices for some of the new crop would be lower than 3,000 yen per 5 kg at supermarkets,” a rice industry official said. During the rice shortages that began two years ago, the retail price once exceeded 4,000 yen per 5 kg.

The government had not disclosed the timing or volume of its planned rice purchases to replenish its emergency stockpile, causing some cooperatives to decide on advance payments later than usual and raising concerns about farmers’ financial health.

Published Date: September 10, 2026