Pressure is building around Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama to resign after the ruling coalition lost its majority in the Upper House election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/japan/politics/japan-post-election-calls-for-ishiba-resignation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2025upperhouseelection #shigeruishiba #ldp #tarokono #hiroshimoriyama #shinjirokoizumi #diet
Japan’s deeply rooted rice-growing culture faces a crisis as aging farmers, restrictive policies and climate challenges threaten production, prompting urgent calls for modernization and government action. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/07/18/japan/japanese-politics-rice-is-the-third-rail/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #shigeruishiba #rice #agriculture #2025upperhouseelection #shinjirokoizumi
Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s aggressive tactics to lower the price of rice has left many farming communities feeling frustrated and abandoned — and that discontent may be reflected in Sunday’s vote. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/17/japan/politics/yamagata-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #yamagata #ldp #sanseito #cdp #dpp #jcp #2025upperhouseelection #rice #agriculture
Only two months into his role as agriculture minister, Shinjiro Koizumi has become the face of a risky political bet by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/16/japan/politics/koizumi-election-focus/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #ldp #2025upperhouseelection #rice #agriculture
Japan will release its stockpiled rice for use in processed foods and beverages such as miso, rice crackers, sake and shōchū distilled spirits, starting in August. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/05/japan/stockpile-rice-processed-foods-august/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #shinjirokoizumi #agriculture #rice #food #inflation
Private-sector rice imports to Japan are soaring as domestic rice prices remain high, with May imports up 125 times compared to the average last year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/28/japan/foreign-rice-imports-up/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rice #trade #tariffs#maff #shinjirokoizumi #inflation
Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday the country would oppose any call by the European Union to add eels to an endangered species list that would limit trade. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/27/japan/koizumi-eel-eu/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #eel #shinjirokoizumi#maff #eu
The average price of rice at about 1,000 supermarkets across Japan in the week through June 15 was ¥3,920 per 5 kilograms, below ¥4,000 for the first time since the week ended March 2, the agriculture ministry has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/24/japan/japan-rice-price-falls-below-4000/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rice #inflation#maff #shinjirokoizumi