Gov't says 5 beverage makers bought tainted rice

Monday 08th September, 03:44 PM JST

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serindipity at 06:42 PM JST - 8th September

mojibake,

As much as I admire the way you think, remind me to never buy a secondhand car from you.
outofmydepth at 06:59 PM JST - 8th September

why isnt this in the CRIME section? it is a heinous crime. i wonder if those responsible ate or drank any those products. they KNOW to whom they sold it. maybe they gave the products out as o-chugen or o-seibo but i am sure they didnt partake.
huberts2 at 07:55 PM JST - 8th September

" -- certain amount of rice annually under a ‘‘minimum access’’ World Trade Organization accord. " Here we have a government who has been pressured to and agreed to open it's rice market. The news report says that an "inedible" rice was purchased as if it was part of the accord. What, precisely what, did the Govt agree to do? Buy RICE? The common and dictionary meaning of "rice", according to all my searches ( to confirm this argument ), is 'a grain used for food' ( or words similar but always implying food). Surely the implication is that an inedible substance is not food. So what was purchased was not 'rice' and the World Trade Organisation has been deceived by slinky behaviour. Reach an accord/agreement with the Japanese Government at your own risk.
serindipity at 08:46 PM JST - 8th September

Yeah, I asked this question when this story first broke.

What do they do with non-edible, pesticide tainted rice? Spray it with lacquer and put it in shop windows? What?
chibaman at 08:53 PM JST - 8th September

What do they do with non-edible, pesticide tainted rice? Spray it with lacquer and put it in shop windows?

Maybe. They also use it in glues/adhesives and other fields.

I think ag. ministry is to be blamed for selling non-edible rice to a company specializing in edible food products.

some14some again on the money.
bamboohat at 09:45 PM JST - 8th September

what nobody is saying is what the "acceptable levels" are according to the government, and what actual "harmful" levels are according to hard science. The two are rarely the same, and the realistic "harmful" levels according to medical science are rarely known to any degree of confidence.

IMO, this is a big brew haha over nothing (from a health standpoint). All it will do is increase the price of rice, and make more money for those smart enough to not get caught.
usaexpat at 11:47 PM JST - 8th September

Oh great all distillers in Kyushu. I don't remember what we've been drinking but likely products from one or more of these makers. I hope they throw the book at these snakes from Mikasa, people could have died or gotten sick, they're lucky this hasn't been worse.
usaexpat at 11:52 PM JST - 8th September

I wonder how much of this has been shipped overseas as well? Hikari is one of the more common sho chu brands in the US. Anyway, checked the liquor cabinet no kome only mugi.
GW at 12:44 AM JST - 9th September

I love my shochu but have refused to buy the cheap crap, you know 2-3litre bottles that sell for around Y1000 +- a couple hundred yen, I bet thats where a lot of this tainted rice has ended up, we all better stay away from chu-his & oolong-his at yr local watering holes as they all use the cheap shochu
OgieDoggie at 12:57 AM JST - 9th September

why isnt this in the CRIME section? *outofmydepth *

Corporate Japan just doing business as usual...infact this should be in the Business section not the National section!
ca1ic0cat at 02:21 AM JST - 9th September

I avoid Chinese food as much as possible but since things like apple juice don't list the country of origin of the apples it's tough to be certain.

But now that Japanese stuff is proving unreliable as well what is left to do?

At least in China the culprets would be shot after a speedy trial; like what happened to the guy with the wheat gluten scandal. Maybe seppuku is in order.

As far as shochu goes I wonder what happens to the pesticides when it comes in contact with ethanol. The idea that this stuff is metabolized in your liver is not pleasant.
tclh at 05:26 AM JST - 9th September

Japanese Government must conduct several independent tests for concentrations of toxins and pesticides in these "so called tainted "rice and suspicious others to prevent CHEATING .If not , I think the whole thing is much bigger than anyone can imagine.
GW at 10:41 AM JST - 9th September

as I have always suspected the J-govt DOES NOT test much in any locally produced goods, food etc etc

this along with all the other scandals known & upcoming prove nothing is impossible in Jpn & certainly likely

watch out for more on this same bat channel!!
Terrikus at 10:55 AM JST - 9th September

It seriously boggles my mind that they would use specifically marked rice that was not good for eating.

I was expecting that this was going to be another dumpling incident. I'm kind of sorry I was wrong. This kind of gross negligence is rather frightening.
GeorgeRoper at 10:27 PM JST - 9th September

Strewth, why would they use rice that was bad? Surely their drinks would taste horrid, and they would lose customers. Didn`t people get belly aches and the gallops and that?

If they done it on purpose doesn`t the bosses go to prison, they could have poisoned people.