New Agriculture Minister Koizumi Admits Rice Shortage

"Minister in charge of rice" Mr. Koizumi Prime Minister Ishiba also declares a reduction in rice prices

Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (23rd)

"If the price of rice remains high like this, rice will leave."

Mr. Koizumi, the self-proclaimed "Minister in charge of rice." As soon as he took office, he went to the site and appealed his determination to reduce the price in front of the camera.

Regarding the stockpile rice that is hard to reach, again...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi

What is the rice reserve now?

Clerk

"Not now, right?"

Minister change drama in the midst of the rice turmoil of Reiwa. The trigger was...

Taku Eto, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

"I've never bought rice either, to be honest. My supporters give me a lot of rice, so I have enough to sell."

Based on this remark, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Taku Eto resigned. On the 21st, Prime Minister Ishiba...

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

Under the new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, we will definitely lower the price of rice. Rice (5 kg) must be in the 3,000 yen range.

The average price of 5kg is 4200 yen, "I will lower it to 3000 yen."

And what the new Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi immediately launched was...

Suspended bidding for stockpile rice with a view to online sales

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi (21st)

"Can we call off the tender (for the stockpile of rice) scheduled for next week and under what conditions can we sell it under a voluntary contract?"

Cancellation of "bidding" for the release of stockpiled rice Under the bidding system where the highest price is awarded, JA has almost monopolized the stockpiled rice so far.

The government decided to stop bidding and make voluntary contracts. The government decided to lower the price of rice by setting the sales price.

The day after the announcement of the voluntary contract (23rd), it was President Mikitani of the Internet mail order major "Rakuten" who visited Minister Koizumi.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi

"We need to explore various forms of distribution, including online sales."

It is said that the stockpile rice will be released directly to retail, including online sales, without going through collection companies such as JA. And the price that jumped out...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi

"Even if a certain cost is taken, at the store (5 kg) 2000 yen"

First of all, he announced that he would lower the store price of stockpiled rice to 2,000 yen. Furthermore, he is appealing his stance to cut into the fundamental factors of the soaring rice price.

Regarding the fundamental factors of the soaring rice price...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi

"There is a sense of shortage (of rice), so we have to make concrete new efforts, so we will stop the acreage reduction (policy)."

Successive Ministers of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries acknowledged the "lack" of rice, and declared the abolition of the substantial "acreage reduction policy" that still continues.

Production adjustment to prevent the price of rice from lowering and the termination of "acreage reduction" have been issues for many years and can be said to be taboos of agricultural administration.

A big backlash such as JA is also expected, but Mr. Koizumi...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Koizumi

"The important thing in this situation is to make a judgment that does not depend on the organization or organization."

Mr. Koizumi asserted this, but the bitter experience of colliding with JA...

Agricultural Policy Reform Aiming for In the Past of Conflict

Shinjiro Koizumi, Chairman of the Agriculture and Forestry Division of the Liberal Democratic Party

"With such a large scale, production efficiency has improved after all."

Ten years ago, in 2015, when he served as chairman of the Party's Agriculture and Forestry Department, he appealed for organizational reform, regarding JA's production efficiency as a problem.

Shinjiro Koizumi, Chairman of the Agriculture and Forestry Division of the Liberal Democratic Party

I wonder if Shinjiro Koizumi is trying to crush the agricultural cooperative (JA). If he does, I won t do anything. I think it will collapse if I leave it alone.

However, in the end, it received a strong backlash from JA and LDP farmers...

Shinjiro Koizumi, Chairman of the Agriculture and Forestry Division of the Liberal Democratic Party

"I was wondering if I could win by losing. I missed this time."

Minister Koizumi again confronts the Reiwa rice turmoil. In addition, Prime Minister Ishiba...

Prime Minister Ishiba (21st)

If there is a surplus of rice, this will not happen. I agree with your claim to steer in the direction of increasing production.

He also acknowledged the lack of rice and decided to abolish "acreage reduction."

In 2009, when Prime Minister Ishiba served as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, he called for a drastic review of the acreage reduction policy.

Liberal Democratic Party Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Shigeru Ishiba

"We will do (rice reduction) in order not to lower (rice price). Such a policy is not possible."

However, this time also received a strong backlash and failed.

Prime Minister Ishiba

"It was a big deal for executives to resign and people to fall one after another. I was called the lowest Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in history."

Once the dream of agricultural policy reform was broken, will they be able to achieve results that consumers and farmers can agree on this time?