Japan mulling boosting rice imports for US tariff talks
Japan may expand its tariff‑free rice import quota—currently 770,000 t, with U.S. rice making up 45%—to cool prices that have doubled since last year. The Finance Ministry’s proposal would boost U.S. market access and answer Washington’s requests, but ruling LDP lawmakers fear backlash from farmers ahead of summer elections. Rice remains politically sensitive despite consumer support for lower prices.
Under its minimum market access system, Japan imports about 770,000 tons of rice per year tariff-free, including up to 100,000 tons for consumption as staple food.
The country imposes a tariff of 341 yen per kilogram outside the quota.
US rice accounted for the largest share of imports under the minimum access system in fiscal 2024, at about 45 %, according to the agriculture ministry.
Rice prices have risen sharply since last summer in Japan because of supply shortages.
Retail prices are more than twice as high as last year even after the government released stockpiled rice.
Japanese government officials are considering expanding imports of US rice under the minimum access system to curb prices.
The Finance Ministry this month proposed expanding the import quota for consumption as staple food.
An increase in imports of US rice is expected to meet requests from the Trump administration for greater access to the Japanese agricultural market.
Japanese people are “likely to support” an expansion in rice imports at a time when prices remain elevated, a senior Japanese government official said.
But many lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are cautious about an increase in rice imports ahead of a parliamentary election this summer as such a measure is expected to alienate farmers, the party’s key support base.
“Rice is a politically sensitive issue,” said Shunichi Suzuki, chairman of the LDP’s General Council. LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama also expressed a cautious stance about expanding rice imports.
In high-level tariff talks in Washington last week, the US side asked Japan to further open up its markets for meat, soybeans and potatoes as well as rice and review its quarantine requirements, according to Japanese government officials.
The Japanese government plans to compile this week details of its proposals to be presented to the US side, including in the agriculture and auto sectors.
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Source : Nation Thailand
