Lates News

According to reports, Japan's newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced on a television program on Friday night local time that the government plans to sell surplus rice directly to retailers through contracts in order to reduce the price of rice sold in stores to 2,000 yen (approximately $14) for every 5 kilograms. He added that the surplus rice is expected to be available for purchase as early as June, as more and more people criticize the government for failing to contain the skyrocketing rice prices, which have been harming families as inflation continues to outpace wage growth. The government, led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, may start contract negotiations on Monday and explore selling low-priced surplus rice online to ensure wide distribution nationwide.