TOKYO – Japan’s government will buy back 210,000 tons of rice it released as an emergency measure last year, as supply shortages have now eased, the farm minister said Tuesday, in what would be the first such measure.

Surging rice prices prompted the government to release a total of 590,000 tons of its rice stockpiled for emergency use in 2025.

The government has around 320,000 tons of rice, far below what is deemed the appropriate level of 1 million tons. The envisaged purchase would bring the amount of stockpiled rice to around 740,000 by simple calculations.

Rice prices have fallen with more rice on the market. Farmers, meanwhile, have been concerned that abundant supplies will lead to a price collapse.

“We have confirmed that there will be more supplies than necessary,” farm minister Norikazu Suzuki told a press conference, adding that a good harvest is expected this fall.

The planned buyback, intended to prevent rice prices from tumbling, comes when the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scrambling to ease the pain on households of rising prices of other everyday goods.

Editor: Story has been updated with corrected figures.© KYODO

Published Date: September 1, 2026