Japan's rice stockpile has dropped to its lowest level in this century due to a prolonged heatwave in 2023 and rising domestic demand, causing concerns among residents about high prices.
The record-breaking heatwave and low rainfall in 2023 have stunted the growth of crops, including fruits, vegetables, and rice. This has led to reduced shipments and sharp price increases this year.
In Tokyo, Hidehisa Shinohara, a rice store owner, reported that he has never seen such low stockpiles.
"My store now has less than half the stock compared to normal years. Everything is less than half. Many varieties of rice that are typically available are not this year," said Shinohara.
As a result, the cost of rice has surged. The latest figures from the Agriculture Ministry indicate that rice prices have risen by 12 percent from the same period last year, placing additional strain on household finances.
Many consumers are visiting different stores in search of more affordable options.
"Rice is in shortage, and I see many people looking for cheaper alternatives in supermarkets around here," said a local resident.
"I usually buy four to five kilos of rice. When it was cheaper, five kilos cost about 1,400 yen (about 9.51 U.S. dollars), but now four kilos cost over 2,000 yen (about 13.6 U.S. dollars). It's a significant burden," said another resident.
While a new harvest is expected to go on market from late August, businesses say prices are likely to remain high.
The Ministry of Agriculture attributes the shortage to increased demand from the food service industry, which is still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there is heightened demand from record numbers of inbound tourists who are eager to enjoy Japanese food.
"I think prices will stay elevated due to increased production costs. Farmers have indicated that they cannot make ends meet with last year's price range. We expect more shortages over the next couple of years and need to maintain higher costs to ensure stable shipments," said Hidehisa.
Japanese consumers worry that if the situation persists, it may become difficult for households to enjoy affordable, high-quality rice.
Japan's rice stockpile falls to lowest level in this century
Japan's rice stockpile falls to lowest level in this century
The sweeping U.S. tariffs on imports are expected to increase household expenses, erode consumer spending power and worsen financial strain on American families, U.S. economic organizations and experts have warned.
The warning came following a series of moves adopted by the U.S. to impose tariffs on imports. It began with the executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2, which says that the U.S. will begin imposing a 10 percent "minimum baseline tariff" on all trade partners starting April 5. And then higher "reciprocal tariffs" will be levied on imports from certain partners, with these measures taking effect on April 9. Certain sectors, including vehicles, auto parts, steel and aluminum, are hit with even steeper 25-percent duties.
U.S. economists and business leaders have warned that the tariff increases will drive up prices, ultimately being passed on to consumers.
Concerned about soaring costs, some American consumers have already started stockpiling goods.
Trump aims to pressure other countries by imposing "reciprocal tariffs," which could come at a particularly high cost for U.S. consumers. With consumer confidence already on the decline, these tariffs are expected to further increase household expenses, erode consumer spending power, worsen financial strain, and add to the burden on American families, according to the economic organizations and experts.
The Yale University Budget Lab estimates that after the U.S. implements "reciprocal tariffs," if other countries retaliate, American households will face significant losses: an average of 1,300 U.S. dollars for low-income families, 2,100 U.S. dollars for middle-income families, and 5,400 U.S. dollars for high-income families.
According to analysis from the Yale University Budget Lab, the new tariff policies announced by the U.S. government could lead to a 2.3 percent increase in overall inflation this year, with food prices rising by 2.8 percent and car prices by 8.4 percent. This would result in an annual loss of 3,800 U.S. dollars for the average American household.
According to estimates from the U.S. think tank Tax Foundation, without considering retaliatory measures from other countries and regions, the U.S. "reciprocal tariff" policy will result in the following this year: Federal tax revenue will increase by 258.4 billion U.S. dollars, or 0.85 percent of the GDP, while after-tax income for U.S. individuals will decrease by an average of 1.9 percent. The average American household will face an additional 1,900 U.S. dollars in annual tax burdens.
For U.S. consumers, high tariffs could mean price hikes on everything from cars and home appliances to gasoline and groceries.
According to predictions from the Yale University Budget Lab, prices for products in categories such as leather goods, clothing, crops, metals and wool are expected to rise by more than 10 percent.
On Wednesday afternoon, renowned U.S. investor and billionaire Mark Cuban wrote on social media that it was time to start stockpiling goods.
"From toothpaste to soap, anything you can find storage space for, buy before they have to replenish inventory. Even if it's made in the USA, they will jack up the price and blame it on tariffs."
The U.S. policy of imposing a 25 percent tariff on imported cars officially took effect on April 3.
Many industry experts believe that the automobile industry, which heavily relies on global supply chains, cannot achieve the goal of "national exclusivity" through high tariffs.
Instead, it will make cars less affordable for more Americans, reduce the competitiveness of the U.S. auto industry, and increase the risk of a greater economic slowdown in the country.
Industry insiders believe that U.S. automakers will struggle to bear the cost pressures brought on by the 25 percent import tariff. According to estimates from JPMorgan, after the auto tariffs take effect, General Motors will be required to pay up to 13 billion U.S. dollars in import tariffs annually, while Ford will face around 4.5 billion U.S. dollars in import duties.
Some industry insiders said they believe that under the impact of tariffs, the U.S. auto industry may slide toward higher prices and lower quality.
A report from the Bank of America suggests that the auto tariffs could result in a decline of 3 million vehicle sales in the U.S., which is nearly one-fifth of last year's total sales.
Several U.S. financial institutions have analyzed the situation, warning that the tariff increases could potentially push the U.S. economy into a recession.
Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's Analytics, stated on social media on April 3 that if the U.S. fully and continuously implements its tariff policy, the country will suffer a severe recession -- even if it manages to avoid a full-blown depression.
On April 3, Citigroup released an investment strategy report stating that if the impact of U.S. tariffs cannot be eliminated through negotiations, the U.S. GDP growth for 2025 could be "wiped out."
Tariffs expected to raise household costs, weakening consumer spending, financial stability: reports
