Published: 12:39, June 3, 2025 | Updated: 12:48, June 3, 2025
Average rice price in Japan drops for 1st time in 3 weeks
By Xinhua
An employee prepares a bowl of rice at a restaurant in Tokyo, May 22, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)

TOKYO - The average price of rice in Japan in the week through May 25 fell for the first time in three weeks following the release of government stockpiles, according to the agriculture ministry.

ALSO READ: Cheaper govt-stockpiled rice hits store shelves in Japan

The average price of rice sold at some 1,000 supermarkets nationwide came to 4,260 yen (about $29.76) per 5 kg, including tax, down 25 yen from the previous week, due to government-stockpiled rice starting to hit store shelves, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Monday.

READ MORE: Japan to sell rice stockpiles with aim to halve soaring prices

However, the latest average is still about double what it was during the same period last year.

To bring down surging rice prices, the Japanese government sold a total of 310,000 tons of stockpiled rice at auctions held between March and April.