Japan Starts Releasing Stockpiled Rice under New Procedures

   Watari, Miyagi Pref., May 29 (Jiji Press)--Japan on Thursday began releasing government-stockpiled rice sold under discretionary contracts, new procedures aimed at resolving persisting price rises for the country's staple food.
   In the morning, 12 tons of stockpiled rice arrived at a milling plant of a company under the wing of household goods retailer Iris Ohyama Inc. in the town of Watari, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
   The rice is part of some 200,000 tons of stockpiled rice harvested in 2022 that was sold to retailers under discretionary contracts this week.
   Iris Ohyama received the rice it bought only three days after it applied to purchase 10,000 tons under the new procedures, far faster than under the previous method of releasing stockpiled rice through auctions.
   The company plans to sell the rice at 2,160 yen per 5 kilograms from Monday, after polishing and bagging.

(2025/05/29-15:36)