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Al Jazeera

Japan faces a ‘rice crisis’ as price nearly doubles for food staple

Japan Shigeru Ishiba Inflation Tim Harcourt Al Jazeera

Arata Hirano prepares a tray of cooked California-grown Calrose rice and side dishes to serve to customers at his restaurant Shokudou Arata in Tokyo, Japan, on April 14, 2025 [Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters]

Japan is facing a “rice crisis” as the price of its favourite staple food has nearly doubled over the past year amid rising inflation and supply shortages.

Government data released on Friday shows the price of rice rose 98.4 percent year-on-year in April, following a rise of 92.5 percent year-on-year in March.

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