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
Yemen's Houthi group said that it had carried out multiple attacks on Saudi and Saudi-led coalition targets, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a Houthi missile, and Yemeni government forces reported operations against the group on several fronts.
In a statement released early Thursday, the Houthis said they used a surface-to-air missile to hit a Saudi Typhoon fighter jet. The aircraft, they said, had taken off from Saudi Arabia's Taif Air Base and was hit over Yemen's Sa'adah Province. Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the claim.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Houthis said they launched a large-scale attack using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against oil facilities of energy giant Saudi Aramco in Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia, as well as King Khalid International Airport and a Saudi Aramco refinery in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The Houthis said in a separate statement released Wednesday evening that the group had fired one more ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport and launched three ballistic missiles at Saudi-led coalition targets in southern Yemen.
Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said on Wednesday that they had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Civil Defense said in a statement on Wednesday that fragments from the intercepted missile fell in Riyadh, injuring one person.
Meanwhile, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported that late on Wednesday the Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on a residential building in the Al Maravi'ah area of Hodeidah province, which is under Houthi control. Early on Thursday, al-Masirah also reported that Yemen's capital, Sanaa, had come under Saudi attack.
According to a Houthi statement issued on Wednesday evening, the Saudi-led coalition launched 42 airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi-controlled areas in the previous 24 hours. The Houthis said that Saudi attacks on islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait directly threatened the safety of maritime shipping routes.
Separately, Yemeni government forces said on Wednesday that they continued to strike Houthi targets and personnel on the eastern and southern fronts.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the Yemeni government.
Houthis, Saudi-led coalition report fresh military actions against each other
