DPFP Leader under Fire for Calling Stockpiled Rice "Livestock Feed"

   Tokyo, May 29 (Jiji Press)--Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, has sparked controversy by describing stockpiled rice being sold by the Japanese government as fit for "livestock feed" after a year.
   At a parliamentary committee meeting on Wednesday, Tamaki said that stockpiled rice sold under the government's discretionary contracts would become "livestock feed once a year has passed."
   While the government is releasing stockpiled rice harvested in 2021 and 2022 at a time when consumers in the country are struggling with soaring rice prices, Tamaki argued that the government effort does not meet consumers' demand for lower prices for high-quality rice.
   The DPFP chief appeared to be referring to the current system in which government-stockpiled rice is sold for feed use after five years.
   Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi has told reporters that Tamaki's remark was "disappointing." Kenta Izumi, former head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said on social media Thursday that Tamaki should not say such things at this time. A young DPFP member said that Tamaki "said too much."

(2025/05/29-22:01)