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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurry in Tokyo

Runaway rice prices spell danger for Japan’s prime minister as elections loom

A restaurateur pours US-grown Calrose rice into a cooker in Japan
Consumers in Japan blame the government for failing to rein in the cost of rice. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Japan’s government is battling record-low approval ratings as consumers voice anger at soaring rice prices just weeks before key national elections.

Attempts to bring down the price of the Japanese staple have had little effect, prompting calls for a reduction in the consumption (sales) tax to ease the cost-of-living crisis.

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