Japan to Set Up Ministerial Council for Farm Policy Reform

   Tokyo, June 2 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government said Monday that it will establish a ministerial council for the reform of the country's agricultural policy in order to tackle soaring rice prices.
   At the council headed by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ministers will discuss the government's policy of curbing rice production with subsidies to encourage rice farmers to change crops. The first meeting is expected to be held Thursday.
   The current rice policy is "beyond the limit," Ishiba told the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament.
   It is necessary to review the policy including the rice production adjustments and draw a conclusion as soon as possible so that farmers and consumers will feel reassured, Ishiba said.
   Amid a downtrend of demand for rice, the government promoted rice paddy acreage cuts, or "gentan," based on its supply and demand projections, from the 1970s.

(2025/06/02-22:38)