Japanese rice growers said that due to the current sharp increase in the cost of raw materials and agricultural machinery, the continued decline in rice prices has brought them increasing pressure, and they hope that the public can understand the relatively high price of rice.
According to the latest official data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, the average price of a 5-kg package of rice in supermarkets has been declining for four consecutive weeks, but the overall rice price is still high.
Hideo Ito is a rice grower in Chiba Prefecture, one of the main rice producing areas in Japan. Ito currently manages about 100 hectares of rice fields in an cooperative together with other farmers, producing about 600,000 kilograms of rice annually.
Ito said that rice seedlings, fertilizers, agricultural equipment and factory buildings are all purchased by the cooperative, and farmers pay fees according to the acreage of their own rice fields and the time they use the equipment. Due to the sharp rise in raw material prices, production costs have risen sharply. Ito said that before rice prices began to rise in 2024, his cooperative had been in deficit for three consecutive years.
Ito said that only when the price of rice increases can the operational difficulties and labor shortages faced by the Japanese rice industry be fundamentally resolved.
"The price of a combine harvester that used to cost 16 million yen (about 111,200 U.S. dollars) has risen to more than 20 million yen (about 139,000 U.S. dollars), and the price of a tractor that used to cost 6 million yen (about 41,700 U.S. dollars) has risen to 8 million yen (about 55,600 U.S. dollars). The cost is still rising. Although consumers think that rice is expensive, once the price of rice falls, farmers will fall into deficit," Ito said.
The head of a rice store who buys rice from the cooperatives in Chiba said that the retail prices of several types of rice have risen by nearly 30 percent compared to last year. Although the government has lowered the average retail price of rice in supermarkets by releasing reserve rice, rice buyers, including agricultural cooperatives, have generally raised the purchase price of new rice so far this year.
In order to ensure a stable supply of rice, the Japanese government has adjusted its rice production policy from reduction to an increase this year. Yet due to the influence of many factors, whether rice production can be increased this year remains unknown.
Declining rice price in Japan poses high pressure on growers
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
