WASHINGTON (Mainichi) — Soaring rice prices in Japan triggered by the “rice upheaval” last summer have surprised Japanese expatriates in the United States, as it remains cheaper to buy rice there despite historic inflation. In some cases, it is even more economical to buy rice imported from Japan than to buy the same product in Japan.

“I can’t believe it. If 5 kilograms cost nearly 4,000 yen (about $27), you’d expect it to be fairly high-grade,” remarked a 40-year-old Japanese woman living in the U.S. state of Maryland with her husband and four children, after hearing the recent average retail price of rice in Japan.

In the U.S., the rice brand “Nishiki,” produced in California, has gained popularity among Japanese residents. Previously, California rice was known for its long, dry grains, suitable for dishes like fried rice and paella. However, Nishiki offers a sticky texture favored by Japanese consumers. Demand for this rice has accordingly increased from Japanese restaurants including sushi establishments.

As of late February, Nishiki rice at online stores specializing in Japanese food and Asian supermarkets was selling for $17.99 for 15 pounds (about 6.8 kilograms). This translates to around 2,000 yen for 5 kilograms — significantly cheaper than in Japan.

Even imported Japanese rice is slightly more affordable in the U.S. One woman who said she was “especially particular about rice” buys Japan’s Koshihikari variety locally for $25 (currently about 3,770 yen) for 5 kilograms. According to the Japanese agriculture ministry, the average retail price of rice at supermarkets in Japan from Feb. 10 to 16 was 3,892 yen for 5 kilograms.

Until around June 2024, the retail price of rice in Japan was a little over 2,000 yen for 5 kilograms. But prices shot up following last summer’s “rice upheaval” when store shortages became apparent. When new rice appeared on the market in autumn, it was expected that the shortages would be resolved, but some farmers and wholesalers have withheld stock, anticipating higher prices, which has led to continued price increases.

Another Japanese woman living in Maryland commented, “In Japan, when household finances were tight, we would get by somehow with rice and natto. But with prices rising so much, this cost-saving method is no longer feasible.” For these women who moved from Japan, where deflation persisted for decades, the price change of this staple has come as a shock.

Rice is not the only food used in Japanese cuisine that has seen higher prices in Japan than in the U.S. Cabbage, which has been in short supply due to adverse weather, has risen to over 500 yen (roughly $3.30) a head, but at an Asian supermarket in Maryland, it was priced at about 79 cents per pound. A small but dense head of cabbage weighing 3.8 pounds (1.72 kilograms) cost about $3 (approximately 450 yen).

The U.S. inflation rate peaked in June 2022, reaching 9.1% compared to the same month the previous year. It has since slowed, falling to 3.0% in January 2025. In contrast, Japan’s inflation rate in the same month was 4.0%, impacted by rising rice prices. Following the announcement, American business news channel CNBC reported Japan’s headline inflation had hit a two-year high, and noted surprise at the lagging inflation.

To counter the high rice prices, Japan’s agriculture ministry has decided to release government stockpiled rice onto the market. However, experts are divided on just how much this will help reduce prices and the sustainability of its effects, and it seems that confusion among Japanese people both domestically and abroad is likely to persist.

(Japanese original by Wataru Okubo, North America General Bureau)

Published Date: March 1, 2025