"2,000-Yen" Govt-Stockpiled Rice Reaches Consumers in Japan

   Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)--Japanese government-stockpiled rice released under no-bid contracts started to hit store shelves at reasonable prices in some areas in the country on Saturday, with the focus now on whether this would lead to price falls for other types of rice.
   Some retailers, including supermarket chain Ito-Yokado Co., began selling government-stockpiled rice at some of their outlets the same day and others are set to follow suit one after another from Sunday, meaning that agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi's target of realizing rice prices of 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms was achieved in just over a week since it was set out.
   Ito-Yokado's Omori store in Tokyo's Ota Ward prepared 500 5 kg bags of government-stockpiled rice harvested in 2022 with a price tag of 2,160 yen each, including tax. All of the numbered tickets for the bags were distributed before the store opened at 10 a.m., and the prepared bags were sold out within about 30 minutes after the opening.
   The situation was similar at an outlet of household goods supplier Iris Ohyama Inc.'s Daisin hardware store chain in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Some 250 people were lined up at the store as of 7:30 a.m. for the 95 5 kg bags of government-stockpiled rice put on sale also at 2,160 yen each. They were sold out immediately after going on sale at 9 a.m.
   On Sunday, major retailer Aeon Co. and discount store operator Don Quijote Co., a subsidiary of Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp., will start selling government-stockpiled rice at their stores in Tokyo. They plan to gradually expand their sales areas.

(2025/05/31-22:48)