Koizumi Vows to Be "Rice Minister"
Tokyo, May 21 (Jiji Press)--Shinjiro Koizumi expressed eagerness Wednesday to concentrate on bringing down high-flying retail rice prices after succeeding Taku Eto as Japan's agricultural minister.
"I'll focus on my work as a minister in charge of rice," Koizumi, former election chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Eto was effectively dismissed due to his recent remark that he had never bought rice, which drew strong public criticism amid soaring rice prices.
At the meeting, Ishiba told Koizumi to consider selling stockpiled rice under negotiated contracts, not through bidding, for swift distribution of the rice to consumers.
"I'm determined to do whatever I can do to dissipate public anxieties about rice supply shortages and stabilize market prices at affordable levels," Koizumi said.
(2025/05/21-18:41)
To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.
NATIONAL
-
05/22 15:47 Register of Hiroshima A-Bomb Victims Given Airing - 05/22 15:37 Japanese, Austrian Leaders Discuss Economy
-
05/22 15:08 Ishiba Cabinet Approval Falls to 20.9 Pct: Jiji Poll - 05/22 14:43 Japan Core Machinery Orders Up 13.0 Pct in March
- 05/22 13:34 Japan Police to Launch Team Targeting "Tokuryu" Masterminds
- 05/22 13:08 Japan Real Wages Fall for 3rd Straight Year in FY 2024
- 05/22 12:41 (Update) Exchange Rate Levels Not Discussed in Kato-Bessent Talks
- 05/22 11:52 Israeli Troops Fire Warning Shots at Foreign Diplomats
- 05/22 09:07 Exchange Rate Levels Not Discussed in Kato-Bessent Talks
- 05/21 22:04 Japan, Paraguay to Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership
- 05/21 21:27 (Update) Koizumi Vows to Stabilize Rice Prices
- 05/21 21:21 Ishiba Eyes Different Way to Release Stockpiled Rice
- 05/21 20:23 Japan, South Korea to Establish Priority Immigration Lanes
- 05/21 18:57 (Update) Visitors to Japan Hit Single-Month Record High in April
- 05/21 18:51 Over 270 Candidates to Run in Tokyo Assembly Election
- 05/21 18:41 Koizumi Vows to Be "Rice Minister"
- 05/21 16:55 Number of Visitors to Japan Hits Record High in April
- 05/21 16:54 Japan Enacts Revised NTT Law
- 05/21 16:06 Japanese Emperor Meets with Hungarian Pres.
- 05/21 15:38 Japan, U.S. May Hold 3rd Round of Tariff Talks as Early as Sat.
- 05/21 15:17 Japanese Author Kawakami Misses Out on Int'l Booker Prize
- 05/21 14:02 Hiroshima Schoolgirl Arrested after Slashing Fellow Students
- 05/21 14:00 (Update 2) Japan Agriculture Minister Eto Dismissed over Rice Gaffe
- 05/21 13:39 Japan, ASEAN Confirm Support for Free Trade
- 05/21 13:15 Member Lists of Ex-Imperial Japan Biowarfare Units Disclosed
- 05/21 12:41 Japan's Exports to U.S. Dip for 1st Time in 4 Months in April
- 05/21 10:54 (Update) Japan Agriculture Minister Eto Dismissed over Rice Gaffe
- 05/21 09:09 Japan Agriculture Minister Eto Dismissed over Rice Gaffe
- 05/20 22:15 Japan Opposition Parties to Demand Agriculture Minister's Dismissal
- 05/20 21:42 Ishiba, New German Leader Agree to Boost Economic Ties
- 05/20 20:54 (Update) Japan's Parliament Starts Deliberations on Pension Reform
- 05/20 19:50 Japan Enacts Bill to Tighten Penalties on Host Bars
- 05/20 19:45 Dead Sri Lankan Woman's Family Demands Full Disclosure of Footage
- 05/20 18:47 (Update 2) Tokyo to Waive Basic Water Fees for Summer
- 05/20 18:25 Paraguayan Pres. Lays Flowers for Hiroshima A-Bomb Victims
- 05/20 18:11 Most Rice Released by Govt Not Yet Available to Consumers
- 05/20 17:51 Japan's Parliament Starts Deliberations on Pension Reform
- 05/20 17:30 (Update) Tokyo to Waive Basic Water Fees for Summer
- 05/20 17:18 Ishiba Apologizes over LDP Member's Remark on WWII Exhibits
- 05/20 16:17 Tokyo Eyes Plan to Waive Basic Water Fees for Summer
- 05/20 16:10 Japan in Working-Level Talks with U.S. over Trump Tariffs
- 05/20 15:37 Japan, U.S. Finance Ministers to Hold Talks Again
- 05/20 15:27 Japan Opposes Expanded Military Operations in Gaza: Spokesman
- 05/20 14:18 Nissan Eyeing 1st Massive Restructuring since Ghosn Era
- 05/20 14:14 Japan Hopes for Ukraine Breakthrough after U.S.-Russia Talks
- 05/20 13:46 Japan Halts Some Brazil Chicken Imports after Bird Flu Outbreak
- 05/20 13:40 Japan FTC to Warn NPB over Fuji TV Press Pass Denial
- 05/20 12:44 Japan PM Ishiba Declines to Sack Agriculture Min. over Gaffe
- 05/20 12:27 8 Universities Apply for Japan's World-Class Research Grants
- 05/20 12:12 Peruvian Man Arrested over Shin-Meishin Expressway Accident
- 05/20 12:03 Japanese, German Foreign Ministers Have Phone Talks
- 05/20 09:43 Japan, U.S. to Hold Trade Talks This Week
- 05/19 22:51 Japanese Emperor Meets Latvian, Bulgarian Presidents
- 05/19 22:32 Japan, Latvia Confirm Continued Support for Ukraine
- 05/19 22:13 (Update) Japan Agriculture Minister Retracts Gaffe on Rice
- 05/19 20:51 Tsuruga Nuclear Reactor Decommissioning Completion Postponed
- 05/19 20:20 (Update) Japan Retail Rice Price Hits Record High Again
- 05/19 19:55 Princess Aiko Meets with People in Quake-Hit Central Japan
- 05/19 19:27 Japan Agriculture Min. Corrects Gaffe on Rice
- 05/19 18:14 Japan's Emperor, Empress to Visit Hiroshima in June
- 05/19 17:58 Japan Retail Rice Price Hits Record High Again
- 05/19 17:57 Ex-Emperor Visits Imperial Palace Lab after Heart Check
- 05/19 17:41 Osaka Expo to Use Electric Bus as Visitors' Rest Area
- 05/19 16:24 Ishiba Asks for Time to Get Conclusion on Basic Pension Hike
- 05/19 15:16 BIE Head Suggests Later Osaka Expo Close Time
- 05/19 13:49 Nippon Ishin Submits Bill to Give Legal Validity to Maiden Names
- 05/19 12:35 Pterosaur Fossil Found in Japan Identified as New Species
- 05/19 10:31 Ishiba Mourns Death of Uruguay's Ex-Pres. Jose Mujica
- 05/19 08:30 Noto Municipalities Struggle with Quake-Damaged Vacant Houses
- 05/18 22:24 Ishiba to Revamp Strategy to Industrialize Quantum Tech
- 05/18 21:48 (Update) Chinese Man Arrested in Hit-and-Run Case in Saitama
- 05/18 21:06 (Update) Princess Aiko Inspects Reconstruction after Noto Quake
- 05/18 16:17 Chinese Man Arrested in Hit-and-Run Case in Saitama
- 05/18 09:00 Japan Working to Improve Treatment of "Culinary Diplomats"
- 05/17 20:47 Ainu Dances Performed at Osaka Expo
- 05/17 19:25 Trial of Shinzo Abe's Assassin May Begin in Oct.
- 05/17 19:07 Man Rearrested for Alleged Murder after Body Found on Miyagi Coast
- 05/17 18:30 Hiroshima, Nagasaki Take Different Approaches on Taiwan
- 05/17 17:46 Wholesalers May Be behind Elevated Retail Rice Prices
- 05/17 16:53 (Update) 1 Dead after Possible Gas Leak at ENEOS Refinery
- 05/17 16:34 Iwate Wildfire Victims Begin Moving into Temporary Housing
- 05/17 14:04 Japan, U.S. Officials Reaffirm Security Cooperation
- 05/17 13:03 2 in Critical Condition after Possible Gas Leak at ENEOS Refinery
- 05/17 10:00 1,400 Photos Donated to Remember Horror of Aum Shinrikyo
- 05/17 09:00 Japanese Man Dribbles Soccer Ball 2,000 km across India
- 05/16 22:34 Japan Personal Info Protection Body Issues 1st Emergency Order
- 05/16 22:03 Body Parts Found, Possibly of Missing ASDF Plane Crew Member
- 05/16 21:25 INTERVIEW: Trump Unlikely to Reset U.S. Tariffs on Japanese Cars
- 05/16 20:15 Lake Biwa Canal Facilities Recommended for National Treasure
- 05/16 20:04 Opposition CDP's Tax Cut Plan to Save 40,000 Yen per Head
- 05/16 19:10 Japan's Rainy Season Begins in Southern Kyushu
- 05/16 18:47 CDP Proposes Council Decide Imperial Family Status
- 05/16 18:32 Register of Nagasaki A-Bomb Victims Gets Airing
- 05/16 18:04 Man Arrested for Hitting Woman with Moped in Tokyo
- 05/16 16:40 Ex-Japan PM Aso to Attend Pope Leo's Inauguration
- 05/16 15:25 Japan Enacts Bills to Make Criminal Procedures Digital
- 05/16 14:36 Japan Announces Measures to Improve Supply of Stockpiled Rice
- 05/16 14:00 Engine Parts of Crashed SDF Jet Found
- 05/16 12:45 Japan Enacts Active Cyberdefense Bill
- 05/16 10:27 Japan Govt OKs Public Pension Reform Legislation
- 05/16 09:02 Japan's Economy Shrinks Annualized 0.7 Pct in 1st Quarter
- 05/16 08:10 Japan Team Finds Gene Determining Calico Cat Color Patterns
- 05/16 08:00 SDF Activities Expand 10 Yrs after Key Security Legislation
- 05/15 23:12 Japan's Emperor, Empress Host Dinner for King of Sweden
- 05/15 22:55 U.S. Eyeing Revision of Trade Pact with Japan
- 05/15 22:43 Japan Eyes 3 More Sectors for Foreign Workers Program
- 05/15 20:27 Japan Govt Paper to Express Concern over China-Russia Ties
- 05/15 20:02 Netflix to Stream Ghibli's "Hotaru no Haka" Film in Japan
- 05/15 19:18 Japan Upper House Panel Passes Active Cyberdefense Bill
- 05/15 18:15 4 Nabbed in Japan over Delivery Driver Account Transfer
- 05/15 18:13 Japan, EU to Expand Mutual Recognition of Organic Food
