TOKYO (Kyodo) — Rice prices in Japan have continued to rise, hitting a new record at an average 4,172 yen ($28) per 5 kilograms, the government said Monday with the first batch of its released stockpiles soon to hit store shelves.

The average price of rice sold at supermarkets across the country between March 10 and 16 more than doubled from a year earlier and rose for the 11th consecutive week to its highest since data collection began in March 2022. The expected price-lowering effect of the stockpile release has yet to appear.

The government said in mid-February that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries auctioned about 142,000 tons of the stockpiles between March 10 and 12, and the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations purchased 94 percent of the amount. The first batch could hit shelves by the end of the month.

Experts say if the release of stockpiles does not lower prices, the government may need to release more than the initially planned 210,000 tons.

The spike in prices followed a poor harvest in the summer of 2023 due to high temperatures that reduced the amount of rice available for distribution the following year. A sharp rise in foreign tourists has also driven up rice consumption at restaurants.

Published Date: March 25, 2025