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June 21, 2026
 

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MAFF

Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki promotes Japanese rice at a supermarket near Paris on Friday.
JAPAN
Jun 20, 2026
Japan¡¯s farm minister promotes Japanese rice in France
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki handed out rice balls made from Japanese rice to shoppers during a Japanese food fair.
The national average price of a packet of 10 eggs stood at ?309, matching the highest level marked in March and May.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 17, 2026
Prices of chicken and eggs in Japan hit record highs
The national average price of chicken rose has risen to ?155 per 100 grams while that of a packet of 10 eggs is now at ?309.
Grilled <i>kabayaki</i> using fully farmed eel shown at the agriculture ministry on Tuesday
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Japan to sell eels bred in captivity in ¡®world first¡¯
The move could ease eventually pressure on the endangered fish
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki (far right) exchanges views on overseas expansion while holding a matcha latte, on Thursday in Tokyo&#039;s Taito Ward.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2026
Agriculture minister visits Tokyo matcha cafe as Iran war affects tea production
Tea producers are increasingly concerned about procuring the fuel needed in April-June for work such as drying harvested tea leaves amid Middle East tensions.
Organic food is less common in Japan than in the U.K., with about 70% of what is available in the country being imported.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 1, 2026
In Japan, strong state-led certification key to boosting organic food uptake
Japanese and U.K. researchers have found that having a transparent government-certified system may help encourage more people to buy organic food products.
A juvenile yellowtail that was hatched from an artificially retrieved egg
JAPAN
Mar 20, 2026
Major conveyor-belt sushi chains boost efforts to revitalize fisheries
In 2024, Japan¡¯s marine fishery catch stood at 2.78 million metric tons, about a quarter of the peak level of 11.5 million tons in 1984.
Bags of rice at a supermarket in Yokohama. Japan's staple food law stipulates that releases of government-stockpiled rice be used to cover "supply shortages due to falling production."
JAPAN
Feb 16, 2026
Rice prices remain high in Japan even after stockpile releases
The country¡¯s staple food law stipulates that releases of government-stockpiled rice be used to cover ¡°supply shortages due to falling production.¡±
Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food rose 12.8% from the previous year to a record ?1.7 trillion in 2025, though they fell short of the government¡¯s ?2 trillion target, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 3, 2026
Japan¡¯s farm, food and fishery exports in 2025 set record for 13th year
The total failed to reach the government¡¯s target of ?2 trillion for 2025 even though exports to all top 10 destinations increased year on year.
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki (left) exchanges views with a French man who owns an onigiri shop (right) on Thursday in Paris.
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2026
Farm minister Suzuki visits Paris to promote rice exports
Suzuki emphasized that securing sales channels overseas will make it easier for Japanese farmers to produce rice stably.
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki (far right) visits the Japanese unit of U.S. company Oishii Farm and delivers greetings in Hamura, Tokyo, on Monday.
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2026
Japan¡¯s farm minister visits plant factory developer
Norikazu Suzuki examined strawberry and other plant varieties being developed exclusively for plant factories.
Toshiyuki Namigai (left) shows tatami sheets of varying thickness to a client, Swedish entrepreneur Anton Wormann, at Namigai's store in Tokyo in December.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 30, 2025
Amid uncertainty at home, tatami-makers find a new market: foreign buyers
Businesses focused on the traditional flooring material are evolving product offerings and marketing goods overseas, hoping to keep their craft alive.
Farm minister Norikazu Suzuki stresses the need to secure demand for rice first, including foreign demand, and then promote production.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Dec 28, 2025
Japan¡¯s rice policy at crossroads amid output shift and high prices
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s policy is to keep production in line with demand, reversing her predecessor¡¯s approach.
Fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki explains measures to support oyster farmers during a news conference at the ministry on Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2025
Japan unveils measures to tackle mass oyster deaths
The measures include financially supporting affected oyster farmers and identifying the cause of the mass deaths.
In the week ended last Sunday, the average price of rice sold at about 1,000 supermarkets across Japan rose by ?23 from the previous week to ?4,335 per 5 kilograms.
BUSINESS
Dec 6, 2025
Average price of rice in Japan hits new record high
The average retail price of the staple grain hit a new record high for the first time in three weeks, according to agriculture ministry data.
Dry-cured salted ham offered at Bar Mar's restaurant in Tokyo on Wednesday
JAPAN
Dec 4, 2025
Dry-cured ham may run short in Japan as swine fever risk halts Spanish imports
After the disease was detected in wild boar in Spain, Japan halted Spanish pork imports last Friday to prevent local transmission.
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki (center) looks at dead oysters in the city of Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 20, 2025
Hiroshima oyster farmers face crisis amid mass die-offs
Producers in coastal areas of the city of Higashihiroshima have reported mortality rates of 80% to 90%, prompting fears about the industry¡¯s survival.
The latest forecast of 7,468,000 tons of rice reflected the status at around 98% completion of harvesting in Japan.
JAPAN
Nov 19, 2025
Japan¡¯s rice harvest forecast to rise 10% in 2025
If the forecast of 7,468,000 tons as of Oct. 25 is realized, it will be the largest harvest in Japan since 2017.
A farmer harvests rice in a field in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Oct. 9. Prices will most likely remain in the ?4,000 range for 5 kilograms?of the grain at least until the 2026 harvest is released next summer.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Nov 12, 2025
New Cabinet searches for effective rice policy amid resurging prices
Officials are considering the distribution of ¡°rice tickets¡± to make the nation¡¯s staple grain more affordable for certain households.
Farmers spray herbicide at a rice farm in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, in June.
JAPAN
Nov 1, 2025
Japan 2026 staple rice production seen falling to 7.11 million tons
The country¡¯s staple rice production is forecast to fall 370,000 tons from 2025, the agriculture ministry has said.
Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki speaks during an interview at his ministry on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 24, 2025
New farm minister hints at rethink of rice output increase
Norikazu Suzuki said farmers are worried that prices might collapse next year if there is too much supply.
Toyoko Kids: The lonely street children of Tokyo
Many young people who feel neglected at home flock to the Toyoko area to find a community where they can fit in.
Rising sex tourism exposes loopholes in Japan¡¯s anti-prostitution law
While financial misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic may have driven some women to work the streets, others simply want more money to spend ¡ª or want to pay off their debts ¡ª at host clubs.
Japan unveils new overtourism countermeasures
The majority of tourists in Japan tend to stay in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, resulting in overcrowding in popular tourist spots and a strain on transportation systems.
South Korea couple beat same-sex barriers to parenthood
South Korean lesbian couple Kim Kyu-jin (left) and her wife, Kim Sae-yeon, pose with a "pregnant woman" badge during an interview in Seoul last month.
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
Music Awards Japan levels up and looks ahead
Kaze Fujii received a second consecutive album of the year award for ¡°Prema,¡± his English-language debut, at the Music Awards Japan ceremony.
Cultural aspects dominate coverage as sumo enthralls Paris
<i>Yokozuna</i> Hoshoryu waves to reporters during a news conference at the Japanese Culture House of Paris on June 11.
Japan steps on the gas in unprecedented regional defense export push
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi walks with his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, as the two inspect an honor guard during a welcome ceremony in Jakarta on May 4.
As his centennial nears, Osamu Tezuka gets a global reintroduction
Seen here in an archival shot, Osamu Tezuka&#039;s influence on Japanese anime has been monumental.
Why more bears are entering urban areas
Hikers walk past a bear warning sign in the Okutama area in western Tokyo on Sunday as local authorities urge visitors to take precautions following increased reports of bear sightings in the region.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Social camouflaging can help neurodivergent people navigate social situations, but researchers say the effort often comes with significant emotional and mental strain.
The challenge of being neurodivergent in Japan¡¯s culture of conformity
By Tomoko Otake

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