The perception of “Japan = Rice” appears to have become strongly established both domestically and internationally. This essentially places wet-rice paddy agriculture as the foundational assumption of Japan. For instance, even in recent negotiations with the United States regarding tariff issues, matters surrounding rice have been directly reflected in agreements reached by the Japanese side.
On July 25, the Japanese government partially disclosed the contents of the U.S.-Japan tariff negotiations. While many points remain unclear, reports have highlighted agreements primarily centered on the following four key areas. Below is a concise summary based on the Japanese Cabinet Secretariat’s Tariff Bureau announcement:
1. Review of Tariff Measures
・Mutual tariffs: 15%.
・Automobiles and auto parts tariffs: 15%.
・Semiconductors and pharmaceuticals tariffs: Details unspecified.
2. Cooperation in Economic Security
・Expanded investment by Japanese companies in nine critical economic security sectors in the United States.
(Semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, steel, shipbuilding, critical minerals, aviation, energy, automobiles, AI, etc.)
・Government-affiliated financial institutions to set an investment ceiling of up to $550 billion for investments in the United States.
3. Trade Expansion
・Increased purchases of U.S. agricultural products, including bioethanol, soybeans, corn, fertilizers, as well as semiconductors and aircraft.
・Expansion of imports of U.S.-grown rice.
・Stable and long-term procurement of U.S.-produced energy.
4. Review of Non-Tariff Measures
・Allowing U.S.-manufactured automobiles to be imported without additional testing.
・Revision of subsidies to promote Clean Energy Vehicles (CEVs).
From these points, investment emerges as a more significant aspect than tariffs. However, here I will not focus on economic implications but rather examine the situation of rice from a unique perspective.
Firstly, Japan has traditionally imposed strict limits on rice imports, given its significant domestic rice production. Additionally, there is a deeply-rooted perception among Japanese people that non-Japanese rice is inferior in quality, limiting the spread of imported rice. Indeed, Japan does not inherently require imported rice, yet continues mandatory imports in compliance with international trade rules under the framework known as “Minimum Access (MA) Rice” (MA Rice). Due to the fact that domestically-produced rice has consistently met consumption needs, it’s reasonable to assume that imported rice largely ends up in processed or commercial uses. Personally, I have never once purchased imported rice in my entire life.