Japan Average Rice Price Falls for 8th Straight Week

   Tokyo, July 22 (Jiji Press)--The average price of rice sold at some 1,000 supermarkets nationwide in Japan in the week through July 13 stood at 3,589 yen per 5 kilograms, down for the eighth consecutive week, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.
   The average price fell by 13 yen from the previous week, standing below 3,600 yen for the first time in about six months.
   The price is believed to have been pushed down by the increased sales of government-stockpiled rice released under no-bid contracts at around 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms.
   In the reporting week, 12,984 tons of government-stockpiled rice were sold, more than the previous week's amount of 11,742 tons.
   Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a press conference Tuesday he believes that a series of countermeasures helped lower rice prices so they didn't become a key issue in Sunday's House of Councillors election.

(2025/07/22-20:07)