Japan Press Weekly

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2014 September 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

Farmers call for countermeasures to deal with rice price collapse

As the price of rice is declining heavily, the Japan Family Farmers Movement (Nouminren) staged a rally in central Tokyo on September 18, demanding that the government implement measures to support the price.

The benchmark prices of domestic rice produced in 2014 have been published across the country. Most of them are only 7,000 to 8,000 yen per 60kg, which fall short of even half of the average production cost of 16,000 yen.

The big fall in the rice price has mainly resulted from Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s government policy to decrease its purchase of surplus rice and have the market determine the rate.

About 200 farmers from across the nation participated in the rally held in front of the agriculture ministry building. In his speech, Nouminren President Shiraishi Jun’ichi said, “It’s completely outrageous that farmers cannot earn their living while growing rice.” Citing the fact that the U.S. administration subsidizes farms according to production costs, he stated that the Abe administration should buy much more surplus rice as well as abandon its policy to cut subsidies to farmers.

Chiba Prefectural Nouminren Chair Oki Den’ichiro stressed, “If the government preaches the need to revitalize the local economy, it should work to maintain the rice price at a reasonable level.”

In the negotiation with the ministry, protesters insisted that the state should carry out necessary countermeasures immediately, referring to the fact that some rice farmers lost hope for their future and committed suicide. Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko took part in the negotiation.

Past related article:
> Do-nothing gov’t brings about dramatic drop in domestic producer rice price [August 26, 2014]