Japan’s government is releasing tax-free imported rice into the market earlier than usual this year. The move is part of efforts to cap prices of the grain, which remain at unusually high levels.

The government is obliged to import about 770,000 tons of rice duty-free each year under a system called “minimum access.” Of the imports, 100,000 tons are auctioned off to private businesses for sale as table rice.

The agriculture ministry says it started auctions of the rice in June and started deliveries to wholesalers last week, or about three months earlier than usual. About 60,000 tons have been auctioned so far.

The rice comes from the US, Australia and other countries.

Finance ministry figures show private companies also directly imported 26,000 tons of rice in July, an increase of about 200-fold from the same month last year. That rice incurs an import duty of more than 2 dollars a kilogram.

Despite the increase in supply, this year’s domestic harvest is already fetching higher prices, which may add further upward pressure to overall prices of the grain.

Published Date: September 16, 2025