Faced with shortages and rising prices for domestic rice, many Japanese are doing what was once unthinkable — buying a foreign variety.

The Japanese diet is famously healthy – packed with vegetables, fish, fermented foods, and beans – but now, a major study suggests it could also guard against depression. Researchers studied around 12 ...

And, remarkably, it was only the second-worst rice-themed head-smacker from a Japanese politician over the past few weeks.

Nineteen Japanese companies have applied to purchase the government's stockpiled rice, with contracts expected to be finalised and rice delivered to them as soon as Thursday, Agriculture Minister ...

A seismic change in mindset for Japanese businesses and consumers could allow Tokyo leeway to relax some restrictions if rice becomes a thorny topic in tariff talks with President Trump, who has ...

TOKYO >> When a severe rice shortage sent prices skyrocketing in Japan last year, Tokyo restaurant owner Arata Hirano did what had once seemed unthinkable: he switched to an American variety.

Within a few minutes of the doors opening, the farm produce co-operative in Atami, a seaside town south-west of Tokyo, had completely sold out of subsidised Japanese rice.

As rice prices remain high, many Japanese consumers are reluctant to give up on buying their favorite brands, although some are substituting noodles or bread.

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's farm minister Taku Eto apologised on Monday after saying he had "never had to buy rice" thanks to gifts from supporters, angering consumers grappling with sky-high prices ...

Japanese rice wholesalers and retailers on Monday called for improvements in what they see as the unbalanced distribution of government-stockpiled rice released last month to curb soaring prices ...

Japanese policymakers called his remarks on the sensitive topic “regrettable”. They also dispute the 700 per cent figure, saying it is based on outdated international rice prices.

Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, or Farms Taki Eto resigned Wednesday after his comments over the price of rice led to a national backlash.