TOKYO >> When a severe rice shortage sent prices skyrocketing in Japan last year, Tokyo restaurant owner Arata Hirano did what had once seemed unthinkable: he switched to an American variety. The ...

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Rice-based food has been selected as Japan's "Dish of the Year" for 2025, reflecting public interest in the ...

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 ...

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 ...

The recent tumultuous rice price situation in Japan has been a rollercoaster ride. Beginning with a poor harvest in 2023 and a minor rice shortage in the late summer of 2024, many began to think Japan ...

Japan is facing a rice shortage. Online sellers and grocery stores are struggling to meet the demand for this crucial staple. Historically, rice shortages have led to political instability and even ...

TOKYO (AP) -- 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 ...

Last fall, shelves in the rice section of supermarkets were almost bare. Any available rice’s prices had shot up. Venues like bars and coffee shops showcased rice at their front windows at a premium.

In Japan, the ruling government is weighing whether or not to put rice on the table. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have forced countries around the world—most recently announced, China—to take a ...