Japan rice glut reverses 2025 shortage; farmers face losses as prices collapse

Japan's rice market has swung from acute shortage to surplus within a year, after emergency stockpile releases and a strong harvest. The price collapse is squeezing farm incomes, with larger operators like Hiroshi Asano in Chiba expecting losses and smaller farmers at risk of exit. The whiplash underscores the difficulty of managing staple-food supply and may prompt policy adjustments.