Why rice-loving Japan is forced to import it from South Korea after 25 yrs

In Japan, rice is more than just a grain; it is central to daily meals, festivals, spiritual offerings, and even language

For the first time in 25 years, Japan has started importing rice from South Korea in an effort to tackle a dramatic surge in domestic prices and ease growing consumer frustration. This is a rare move by a country where rice is more than just a staple—it is a symbol of cultural identity, spiritual heritage, and daily life.

 

The initial batch of South Korean rice, totalling two tonnes, was shipped to Japan last month and made available both online and in supermarkets. Although the volume remains modest, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reports that a further 20 tonnes are expected to arrive shortly.

 

 

Japan releases rice from national reserve as price rises

 

As of early April, the average price for a five-kilogramme bag of rice had climbed to 4,214 JPY, spurred by a combination of record-breaking summer temperatures, panic buying, and logistical setbacks. This is more than a 100 per cent rise in rice prices compared to the same period last year.

 

In March, the Japanese government released 210,000 tonnes from its national rice reserves—an emergency store established in 1995 following a disastrous harvest two years earlier. Yet, this intervention has had limited impact due to transportation bottlenecks and preparation delays.

 

By the end of March, only 426 tonnes—or 0.3 per cent—of the released rice had actually reached retailers.

 

What is driving up rice prices in Japan?

 

Japan’s grain stocks have been strained by an uptick in rice consumption, driven in part by record tourist arrivals. Warnings of natural disasters, including typhoons and earthquakes, have led to panic buying, prompting some shops to limit rice sales.

 

The government’s strategic reserve has previously been tapped in times of crisis, such as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, but this marks the first major release due to distribution challenges rather than production shortfalls.

 

Japan’s reliance on rice goes far beyond the plate

 

The grain is central to daily meals, festivals, religious offerings, and even language. The word “gohan” serves as both 'cooked rice' and 'meal', with expressions like asagohan (breakfast), hirugohan (lunch), and bangohan (dinner) illustrating rice’s deep-rooted presence in Japanese life. It is also used to make sake, rice cakes, and sweets, and features prominently in offerings at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.

 

History of protecting domestic rice, banning imports

 

Given this cultural weight, Japan has historically protected its rice industry through strict import controls. For decades, nearly all foreign rice was banned in an effort to uphold agricultural self-sufficiency and safeguard local farmers.

 

However, under global trade negotiations in the early 1990s, Japan relaxed its stance and introduced a tariff-rate quota system. This arrangement permits a limited volume of rice to be imported at reduced tariffs, while slapping steep duties on anything above that limit. Despite these allowances, public wariness of imported rice has endured, with past shipments, such as Thai rice brought in during the 1993 harvest crisis, largely shunned by consumers.

 

South Korea, US may benefit from rice crisis in Japan

 

While Japan’s decision to import rice from South Korea is partly pragmatic, it also signals a broader cultural shift. The current price spike has begun to shift consumer attitudes. South Korean rice, once viewed with suspicion over taste and quality, is now gaining acceptance amid financial pressure. Exports from South Korea to Japan are projected to reach their highest level since 1990.

 

Meanwhile, a recent report by Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun suggested that Tokyo may consider  American rice imports, as well as soybeans, as a bargaining chip in trade talks with President Donald Trump.