July 31, Tokyo As international tourists devour sushi, onigiri, and other meals made with the staple grain, Japan's rice stockpile has reached its lowest point in a century, according to officials who spoke to AFP today.
 
The farm ministry emphasized that more significant issues included reduced yields brought on by hot weather and water problems, as well as prices rising more slowly than alternatives.
 
According to ministry data released on Tuesday, the amount of rice kept in the private sector was 1.56 million tons last month—the lowest amount since comparable data started being gathered in 1999 and a decline of 20.8 per cent year over year.
 
According to farm ministry official Hiroshi Itakura, "the main causes of the record-low inventory are a decline in production last year due to high temperatures combined with water shortages, and the relative cheapness of rice prices compared to prices of other crops such as wheat."

"We are not facing shortages of rice," he stated, adding that "the increase in demand by foreign tourists has also contributed."

According to data released earlier this month, Japan had 17.78 million tourists in the first half of 2024—a million more than it did before the outbreak.

In addition to the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, the Kyoto geishas, and the grandeur of Mount Fuji, a weaker yen has made international tourists feel richer and increased their spending on anything from According to farm ministry official Hiroshi Itakura, "the main causes of the record-low inventory are a decline in production last year due to high temperatures combined with water shortages, and the relative cheapness of rice prices compared to prices of other crops such as wheat."

In addition to the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, the Kyoto geishas, and the grandeur of Mount Fuji, a weaker yen has made international tourists feel richer and increased their spending on anything from kimonos to meals.

The impact was also evident in data on rice demand, which increased for the first time in ten years in the year ending June 30, reaching 7.02 million tons, according to data from the farm ministry.
 
The demand for rice has been declining for some time due to the declining population and the fact that many Japanese people are switching to other carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta for their meals.
 
The government reported that foreign tourists' demand for rice increased from 31,000 tons to 51,000 tons.
 
According to the disaster management service, heat has killed 36 people in Japan since April of this year, when data went back 125 years. Last year, the country saw its hottest September on record