Koizumi Seeks Extended Rice Stock Sales as Rakuten Sells Out 10,000 Tons

Japan’s Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said after Tuesday’s cabinet meeting that consumer demand remains “strong” for government stockpiled rice sold to retailers and food-service companies under discretionary contracts. With inflation keeping staple food costs elevated, Koizumi argued the sales period should be extended beyond the current expiry, noting that more than 90 percent of businesses participating in the scheme intend to continue purchases. Of the 251 operators yet to receive shipments, about four-fifths still want their full allocations, he added. Separately, Rakuten Group announced it has completed sales of the entire 10,000 tons of stockpiled rice it began marketing at the end of May, reaching the government-set quota in roughly three months. The brisk take-up highlights the pressure households face: the farm ministry’s latest survey shows the average supermarket price for a 5-kilogram bag rose ¥67 to ¥3,804 in the week to Aug. 25, the second straight weekly increase. Koizumi’s push to loosen long-standing supply controls comes as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party moves to tighten oversight of his reforms. The party said it will create an Agricultural Structure Transformation Committee led by former farm minister Taku Eto—who resigned in 2023 after a gaffe about never buying rice—to scrutinize proposals such as shifting from acreage reduction to output expansion. The appointment underscores growing internal debate over how far Japan should go in liberalizing its rice market.