Nippon.com Staff 

In Japan, the price of the standard 5-kilogram bag of rice has fallen below ¥3,000 for the first time since September 2024, as supplies increase again following shortages.

Good News in the Harvest Season

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries announced that the average price per 5-kilogram bag of rice sold from September 7 to 13 was ¥2,971, down ¥32 from the previous week. The figure is calculated based on information for 1,000 supermarkets nationwide from the data provider KSP-SP. This is the first time this figure has fallen below ¥3,000 since early September 2024. Prices for brand-name rice, which accounts for 85% of total sales, also dropped below ¥3,000, falling ¥35 to ¥2,988. Blended rice fell ¥34 to ¥2,866.

Prices rose steadily after rice shortages in summer 2024, hitting a peak of ¥4,416 per 5-kilogram bag in early January 2026. Since then, however, they have dropped due to a greater supply after the release of government reserves and an increased 2025 harvest reached consumers.

Private-sector inventories climbed to 1.6 million tons as of the end of July, up 700,000 tons from the same period last year and the highest level for July since record-keeping began in 2008. With the harvesting and distribution of this year’s crop shifting into full swing, a noticeable trend has emerged among retailers of discounting their remaining 2025 rice to clear out stock.

Japanese consumers will welcome the opportunity to enjoy newly harvested rice at lower prices. However, the staple is still more expensive than before the shortages, when a 5-kilogram bag retailed for around ¥2,000.Data Sources

• Data on rice in supermarkets and September 2026 monthly rice report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)

Published Date: October 1, 2026