TOKYO – The share of Japan’s staple rice acreage devoted to the cultivation of heat-resistant rice varieties reached a record 18.2 per cent, nearly tripling over the past decade.

As once abnormally hot summers become increasingly commonplace, the planting of heat-resistant varieties is expanding across Japan to prevent declines in quality and yield caused by heat stress. In the 2025 crop year, such rice was planted in 44 prefectures, excluding Hokkaido, Iwate and Okinawa.

According to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, the planting area for heat-resistant rice varieties in the 2025 season totalled 248,000ha nationwide, an increase of 42,000ha from the previous season.

The expansion has been particularly notable in western Japan.

By prefecture, Saga led the nation, with heat-resistant varieties accounting for 66.9 per cent of its staple rice acreage. It was followed by Nagasaki at 49.8 per cent and Shimane at 47.3 per cent. In Kagoshima, the share stood at 24.4 per cent, four times the level recorded in 2024.

By variety, Kinumusume was the most popular by planting area, followed by Tochiginohoshi and Koshiibuki.

Recent rice shortages in Japan have been partly attributed to heat damage. Rice grains affected by high temperatures are more likely to crack during milling, reducing the proportion that can be sold as polished white rice.

“The planting of heat-resistant rice varieties should be increased further in the years ahead,” said Yuji Masutomi, head of the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Research Section at the National Institute for Environmental Studies.

However, many of these rice brands remain relatively unknown to consumers.

“If consumers do not buy them, producers will be reluctant to grow them,” Masutomi said. “Public relations and marketing strategies to encourage people to try these varieties are vital.” THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Published Date: June 9, 2026