TOKYO — Japan’s agriculture minister resigned Wednesday because of political fallout over recent comments that he “never had to buy rice” because he got it from supporters as gifts. The resignation ...

ASAHIKAWA, Japan — Nobuo Kubo inherited his rice farm four decades ago, becoming the third generation in his family to look after the lush fields at the base of Mount Daisetsu. The pristine snowmelt ...

All is calm at Satoshi Yamazaki's rice farm, with its freshly planted rows of vivid-green seedlings, but a row over the cost of the staple in Japan is threatening to deal the government a blow at the ...

Sushi, onigiri and yakitori don — Japanese rice is a key staple in many of its iconic dishes, but the country is facing its biggest shortfall in decades. Japan has been contending with a rice shortage ...

TOKYO — Rice is essential to Japanese culture, tradition and politics. People take pride in the oval-shaped sticky Japonica grain, which is still a staple even though total consumption has fallen over ...

In response to soaring supermarket rice prices, the Japanese government released 210,000 tonnes of rice from its emergency reserves in February 2025, despite an abundance of rice production in the ...

Rice prices soar despite emergency stock release and supply reassurances New PM Takaichi faces challenge with inflation, farm minister favours rice coupon High rice prices boon for cheaper imports, in ...

Japan’s farm minister Taku Eto stepped down on Wednesday, domestic media reported, following public outrage over his comments on getting free rice. Eto said Sunday that he has never had to buy rice as ...

Japan’s agriculture minister resigned Wednesday because of political fallout over recent comments that he “never had to buy rice” because he got it from supporters as gifts. The resignation comes as ...

New research into ancient Japanese rice farming suggests that significant technological development does not always mean ‘abandonment’ of cultural practices - particularly culinary traditions.