To protect Japanese farmers, the government promised that imported rice will not go into Japanese direct consumption. Foreign rice, including California rice, will be used for secondary purposes like prepared food.

Wednesday 28th May, 06:16 AM JST

Nobuhiro Suzuki, an agriculture professor at Tokyo University. Japan is planning to export some of the foreign rice it imports because it is not popular with Japanese consumers. (AFP-Jiji)

8 Comments

Brainiac at 09:27 AM JST - 28th May

Japanese often tell me they don't like the taste of Californian and Australian rice, which I find hard to believe. I think they do like it but feel deep down, probably on a subconscious level, that they would be disloyal if they didn't prefer Japanese rice.
Blue_Tiger at 11:04 AM JST - 28th May

I've heard that if Cali. and Aussie rice were to be introduced into Japan wholesale, it would run the J-farmers out of business.
2020hindsight at 01:47 PM JST - 28th May

That's just silly. I'd like to see a double blind test to see if Japanese consumers can tell the difference between local and imported rice. It would be a good idea for a game show or something. Japan should probably give up on farming rice altogether and import it. It costs so much to locally grow rice that they have to levy hefty tarrifs on imported rice to stay competitive.
roughneck at 02:25 PM JST - 28th May

I'd like to see a double blind test to see if Japanese consumers can tell the difference between local and imported rice.

I am a foreigner and even I can easily distinguish the difference between Japanese rice and foreign rice. If you are a westerner, it is all same to you, as rice is not your staple food. Japanese and other Asians can easily taste the difference between rices.
Sarge at 02:28 PM JST - 28th May

"To protect Japanese farmers"

And in doing so, screwing Japanese and foreign consumers.
Speed at 02:45 PM JST - 28th May

I can't speak for Australian rice, but in California, I've rarely ever heard any of the Japanese there say that California rice tastes inferior to Japan's. They say it tastes just the same - and hell of a lot cheaper!

The whole 'taste' excuse is bull.

It really comes down to wanting to protect an industry that will disappear if the imported product is not blocked or marked up in price significantly. Japan wants to retain it's self-substance level in rice production - therefore must protect its rice farmers. That's it.
2020hindsight at 05:48 PM JST - 28th May

roughneck

You'd be the first on my double blind test list. I'm not talking about comparing short grain with long grain.

If you are a westerner, it is all same to you, as rice is not your staple food. Japanese and other Asians can easily taste the difference between rices.

A presumptuous methinks. How do you know what my staple food is?
Alphaape at 06:14 PM JST - 28th May

Arkansas exports more rice to Japan than you think: "The Arkansas rice industry has benefited from efforts of USA Rice trade association’s efforts to expand the Japanese rice shop network selling U.S. rice year-round from 44 members in the Tokyo area to 105 members across Japan. U.S. rice is now penetrating Japanese supermarkets. USA Rice's sponsored delegation of Hong Kong importers/wholesalers last year has already resulted in trial purchases of U.S. rice, and more sales are expected."

So what we are probably seeing is the move for more protecionism for the rice growers here. Funny, how Japan seems to want to curb imports, but when the US tried to do so with the automobiles (which Japan makes some damn fine cars) the Japanese were smart enough to invest in plants in America. Maybe that is what some of the rice growers need to do. If they are so much in demand of protecting their profits (not really caring about the local growers) why don't they just invest in American farms. That way, they can play both ends of the spectrum.