Japan Mulling Boosting Rice Imports for U.S. Tariff Talks

The Japanese government is considering expanding imports of U.S. rice as a bargaining chip in tariff negotiations with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, people familiar with the matter said.

Under its minimum market access system, Japan imports about 770,000 tons of rice per year tariff-free, including up to 100,000 tons for consumption as staple food. The country imposes a tariff of 341 yen per kilogram outside the quota.

U.S. rice accounted for the largest share of imports under the minimum access system in fiscal 2024, at about 45 pct, according to the agriculture ministry.

Rice prices have risen sharply since last summer in Japan because of supply shortages. Retail prices are more than twice as high as last year even after the government released stockpiled rice.

Japanese government officials are considering expanding imports of U.S. rice under the minimum access system to curb prices. The Finance Ministry this month proposed expanding the import quota for consumption as staple food.

This article has been republished from Nippon.com.