Miyata, chairman of the prefectural JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Group, has proposed 3,500 yen per 5kg as a price both producers and consumers could accept, while also hinting at a major cut to the advance payments made to farmers. On 5channel, reactions ranged from defenders saying “they just want to make JA the villain,” to posts describing the reality of rice oversupply and users’ own declining rice consumption, to suspicion about why prices aren’t actually falling.
Amid continued rice oversupply driven by persistently high prices, the prefectural JA Group indicated on the 26th that 3,500 yen per 5kg would serve as a benchmark price acceptable to both producers and consumers.
Miyata, chairman of the prefectural JA Group, hinted at a major reduction in the "advance payment" — the sum paid to farmers when purchasing their rice.
■Koichi Miyata, Chairman of the Prefectural JA Group
Miyata, chairman of the prefectural JA Group, hinted at a major reduction in the "advance payment" — the sum paid to farmers when purchasing their rice.
■Koichi Miyata, Chairman of the Prefectural JA Group
There it is again.
They just really want to paint JA as some evil organization no matter what.
They just really want to paint JA as some evil organization no matter what.
>>10
The ones doing wrong are the parasites — JA's just the host.
The ones doing wrong are the parasites — JA's just the host.
>>10
From a consumer's perspective, they ARE the evil organization though.
From a consumer's perspective, they ARE the evil organization though.
・Cut out middleman brokers as much as possible
・Shut down the rice futures market
・Handle Norinchukin Bank's losses by either cutting them loose or shifting to state support
Do all that first before you start lecturing us about rice prices.
・Shut down the rice futures market
・Handle Norinchukin Bank's losses by either cutting them loose or shifting to state support
Do all that first before you start lecturing us about rice prices.
>>20
It's less about middlemen skimming and more about upstream players hoarding stock to jack up prices.
It's less about middlemen skimming and more about upstream players hoarding stock to jack up prices.
I thought all this talk of 'people abandoning rice' was just fearmongering or a joke, but it's actually real.
The idea that Japanese people are eating less rice is honestly shocking.
The idea that Japanese people are eating less rice is honestly shocking.
>>39
Japan already eats way less rice than other Asian countries, comparatively.
Japan already eats way less rice than other Asian countries, comparatively.
Isn't it weird that even during the 'rice crisis,' they were still cranking out tons of ehou-maki (lucky-direction sushi rolls eaten for Setsubun) as usual and throwing the leftovers away?
>>40
Such a waste, seriously.
Such a waste, seriously.
There used to be a time when spotting a 200-yen 🍙 onigiri on sale was thread-worthy — people would photograph it in shock. Now everyone just buys and eats them like it's nothing.
Getting numb to it like that is scary.
Getting numb to it like that is scary.
>>42
Convenience store onigiri sales volume has plummeted across every chain over the past few years.
But sweets and bread sales have been climbing steadily instead, so the price hikes haven't actually hurt the convenience stores.
Convenience store onigiri sales volume has plummeted across every chain over the past few years.
But sweets and bread sales have been climbing steadily instead, so the price hikes haven't actually hurt the convenience stores.
I got hooked on Ken Min's yaki-beefun (stir-fried rice vermicelli) during the rice shortage and just stopped eating rice after that.
That stuff is way too good — whenever I get a craving for rice, one bowl of it kills the urge instantly.
That stuff is way too good — whenever I get a craving for rice, one bowl of it kills the urge instantly.
>>48
Lol, that's literally still rice (beefun is made from rice flour).
Lol, that's literally still rice (beefun is made from rice flour).
Places like Canada and India grow rice just fine and get bumper harvests even at 50°C, yet Japanese TV news ran the lie that a mere 40°C heatwave was causing a 'rice shortage.'
In reality, the 2024 harvest was actually bigger than the previous year's:
2023: 7.166 million tons
2024: 7.346 million tons ← the 'rice shortage' started in July
2025: 7.468 million tons
And yet it got spun as the worst rice shortage in history, and the price of a 10kg bag tripled.
What's really scary is that when the new-crop rice harvested in September 2024 and September 2025 hit the market, prices didn't drop — they kept climbing. That can only mean price manipulation.
Prices finally peaked on January 4, 2026, and have been falling since.
In reality, the 2024 harvest was actually bigger than the previous year's:
2023: 7.166 million tons
2024: 7.346 million tons ← the 'rice shortage' started in July
2025: 7.468 million tons
And yet it got spun as the worst rice shortage in history, and the price of a 10kg bag tripled.
What's really scary is that when the new-crop rice harvested in September 2024 and September 2025 hit the market, prices didn't drop — they kept climbing. That can only mean price manipulation.
Prices finally peaked on January 4, 2026, and have been falling since.
>>54
Cold damage is a real risk for rice, but heat really isn't.
Cold damage is a real risk for rice, but heat really isn't.
>>56
A crop that grows just fine across Southeast Asia obviously isn't weak to heat.
A crop that grows just fine across Southeast Asia obviously isn't weak to heat.
I've got nothing against rice or farmers, but once I hit 35 I just couldn't do ramen-and-rice combos anymore.
No exaggeration, my stomach literally can't handle rice like it used to.
Even with a set meal, a small rice portion is just right for me now.
No exaggeration, my stomach literally can't handle rice like it used to.
Even with a set meal, a small rice portion is just right for me now.
>>65
This is dead serious.
Back in my teens and twenties I could put away like 2 gou (roughly 2 cups of uncooked rice) in one meal.
Now even a single bowl feels heavy, so I'd rather have less.
This is dead serious.
Back in my teens and twenties I could put away like 2 gou (roughly 2 cups of uncooked rice) in one meal.
Now even a single bowl feels heavy, so I'd rather have less.
Pasta sales haven't actually gone up all that much, though.
So what are all these people who claim they've quit rice actually eating?
So what are all these people who claim they've quit rice actually eating?
>>97
Probably single guys living alone.
There's no way a parent with kids thinks 'rice got expensive, so let's switch to pasta!' — feeding boys pasta costs more than rice does anyway.
Probably single guys living alone.
There's no way a parent with kids thinks 'rice got expensive, so let's switch to pasta!' — feeding boys pasta costs more than rice does anyway.
What's even the point of this?
Just sell it for 3,500 yen if that's what they want — no one's stopping them.
Just sell it for 3,500 yen if that's what they want — no one's stopping them.
>>101
The problem is that with the current massive oversupply, nobody's buying at that price — hence the griping. Consumers aren't on board with it.
The problem is that with the current massive oversupply, nobody's buying at that price — hence the griping. Consumers aren't on board with it.
🇯🇵 Rice Prices Post Record 40% Plunge — 'More Farmers May Quit Farming' — New-Crop Standard Koshihikari Now Around ¥4,000 for 5kg
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/95285f23377fff5bd4d1cd53f4bc483842a81b1b
The rice glut is hitting farmers hard.
Standard Koshihikari, the most widely traded variety, has fallen from ¥30,000 per 60kg in 2025 to ¥18,500.
Similarly, 'Shinnosuke' has dropped from ¥31,000 in 2025 to ¥19,000 — both declines of roughly 40%.
That's the largest drop on record.
■'More Farmers May Quit Farming'
The cause is the rice glut.
After record price surges, huge amounts of the 2025 harvest are still sitting unsold.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/95285f23377fff5bd4d1cd53f4bc483842a81b1b
The rice glut is hitting farmers hard.
Standard Koshihikari, the most widely traded variety, has fallen from ¥30,000 per 60kg in 2025 to ¥18,500.
Similarly, 'Shinnosuke' has dropped from ¥31,000 in 2025 to ¥19,000 — both declines of roughly 40%.
That's the largest drop on record.
■'More Farmers May Quit Farming'
The cause is the rice glut.
After record price surges, huge amounts of the 2025 harvest are still sitting unsold.
American rice is being sold in Japan now — it was ¥1,980 for 5kg.
I've eaten it twice and it's tasty.
If nobody told me, I don't think I could tell it apart from domestic rice.
I've eaten it twice and it's tasty.
If nobody told me, I don't think I could tell it apart from domestic rice.
>>140
Lol, you've just been eating bad rice every day.
No wonder you can't tell the difference.
Lol, you've just been eating bad rice every day.
No wonder you can't tell the difference.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “JA Chairman: ‘Rice at 3,500 yen per 5kg is a price producers and consumers can accept. Below that, it’s hard to sell.’“.
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