Despite the Japanese government's efforts to stabilize rice prices, an expert has expressed doubts about the long-term impact of the upcoming auction of reserve rice, raising concerns about further price volatility and its potential to strain household budgets.
Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries announced on Monday that it will hold an auction for government reserve rice from March 10, targeting major rice wholesalers.
The initial auction will cover 150,000 tons of rice, the first such move to stabilize market distribution. After distribution to wholesalers, the rice is expected to reach store shelves as early as late March.
Japan's government plans to release a total of 210,000 tons of its rice reserves into the market, in efforts to alleviate financial strain on households that have been struggling to cope with soaring rice prices.
Naito Osamu, head of the Information Division at the corporate research firm Teikoku Databank, believes that the release of reserve rice is merely a temporary measure, and that further policy discussions are needed to stabilize prices in the long term.
"The current situation is that rice prices in the market have continued to rise after the announcement of the reserve rice release. Therefore, we still need to see whether rice prices will stabilize as they once did when the reserve rice actually enters the market," he said.
Naito noted that the high prices of rice are not an isolated issue, as other essential food items in Japan, including vegetables, are also experiencing significant price increases.
The latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the end of February indicated that the national average prices for napa cabbage and round cabbage are more than double those of the same period last year.
High prices have added pressure to the daily lives of Japanese citizens and altered some people's spending patterns.
"Since it is difficult to reduce spending on key commodities like food, people can only cut back on other expenses and use the saved money for essential items like food," said Naito Osamu.
Naito said that prices in Japan are unlikely to decrease in the short term, and future prices will depend in part on global economic conditions and the exchange rate of the Japanese yen.
"Various external factors, such as the inauguration of the Trump administration in the U.S., have made the outlook more uncertain. Many consumers feel uneasy about the future and have become more reluctant to spend," he said.
Japan's rice reserve auction raises concerns about further price volatility
Japan's rice reserve auction raises concerns about further price volatility
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
