TOKYO: Japan’s private-sector rice imports rocketed higher in May as the country grapples with supply shortages that have become a major headache for both consumers and policymakers.
Some 10,600 metric tonnes of so-called staple rice – which is consumed at meals as opposed to rice used for feed or ingredients in other products – were imported by companies such as trading firms and wholesalers despite high levies.
While that’s still a small amount compared to the roughly 7 million tonnes eaten by the Japanese each year, it represents a huge jump from the 3,004 tonnes imported for the entire last financial year that ended in March.