Overview
- The government is considering formalizing a private-sector reserve system to operate alongside national stockpiles, with the state covering storage costs.
- Under the proposal, collection and wholesale firms would store rice for a defined period and then release it for table use to retailers and food-service businesses.
- Policymakers are reviewing the current five-year retention rule and the roughly one million-ton reserve target to better reflect recent demand and food-security risks.
- Releases from national reserves since March reached consumers slowly, with delays linked to quality checks and foreign-matter screening on older 2021–22 stocks.
- MAFF data show the average supermarket price for 5 kg of rice fell to ¥4,142 for Oct. 6–12, as blended varieties declined and cumulative discretionary-contract sales reached 170,389 tons.