Price of rice at Japanese retailers hits record for 17th consecutive week

Rice prices in Japan have hit a 17-week high since March 2022, with the average price for 5 kilograms rising from ¥4,220 to ¥4,233. Despite efforts by the government to release stockpiled rice through auctions and monthly releases starting in March, distribution has been uneven—only about 29% of the total stock shipped as of Thursday. The upcoming auction on April 23-25 and future monthly releases from May to July aim to address supply issues, but concerns remain that delays in getting rice to stores could prevent price reductions.