South Korea increases rice exports to Japan amid rice price crisis

Record high rice prices have helped Korean rice expand its market from supermarkets to Japanese tourists' suitcases, opening up rice export opportunities for Korea after more than 25 years.

Japanese tourists buy rice from Korea to bring home, while rice prices in Japan hit a record high - Photo: NEWS1

As rice prices in Japan skyrocketed due to extreme weather and limited supplies, many Japanese consumers chose to travel to South Korea and buy rice, creating a notable social phenomenon in mid-May.

Korean rice price is 2.5 times cheaper than Japanese rice

According to data released by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs on May 23, rice prices in the country in April increased by 98.4% compared to the same period last year.

This is the largest increase since comparable data began in 1971, marking the seventh consecutive month of record rice prices in Japan.

Meanwhile, a report by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Products Distribution Corporation (aT) said that the average retail price of rice in Korea is currently nearly 2.5 times cheaper than in Japan, contributing to the wave of Japanese tourists looking to buy rice during their trips.

JoongAng Daily (South Korea) reported on May 21 that many Japanese tourists posted photos and videos on social media, showing them buying rice at major supermarkets in Seoul and other localities, then going through agricultural product quarantine procedures at Incheon airport to bring the rice back home.

A video posted on Instagram on May 6 with the Japanese title "Bringing rice from Korea to Japan is not as difficult as imagined" has attracted nearly 120,000 views.

South Korea negotiates to export hundreds of tons of rice

Japanese businesses negotiate to import hundreds of tons of additional rice from Korea - Photo: JOONGANG DAILY

JoongAng Daily reported that from May 1 to 19, rice sales at 7 E-Mart supermarkets in Gyeongsangnam Province (South Korea) increased by 4% compared to the same period last year, contrary to the declining trend of rice consumption in Korea.

Analysts in South Korea say the main reason is the sudden increase in the number of Japanese tourists buying rice.

According to a report by Kyodo News Agency on May 23, during the week from May 5 to 11, the average price of rice in Japan was 4,268 yen/5kg, equivalent to about 32 USD.

Meanwhile, aT Corporation's report said the average price of rice in Korea is 29,800 won/10kg, equivalent to about 22 USD, making Korean rice an attractive alternative.

According to JoongAng Daily , Gyeongsangnam Province held a ceremony to export 80 tons of Seomjin River rice from Hadong County to Japan on May 20. This is the first time since records began in 1990 that Korean rice has been exported to Japan for commercial purposes, not for relief purposes.

South Korean officials added that businesses in Japan are continuing to negotiate to buy hundreds of tons of additional rice from many South Korean provinces, including Gyeongnam, Jeollanam, Gangwon and Gyeongsangbuk.

Japanese Prime Minister Admits Inefficient Distribution System

According to The Paper (China), on May 23, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru pledged to bring rice prices back to around 3,000 yen/5kg. He also admitted that the current rice distribution system is inefficient and has structural problems.

The Paper website commented that the rice price crisis is happening at a sensitive time before the Japanese Senate election scheduled to be held on July 3. Experts warned that if the ruling party does not improve its governance efficiency, Mr. Ishiba's reputation could be shaken.

In parallel with the domestic crisis, Japan is also negotiating with the US on tariff adjustments.

Kyodo News quoted Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei as saying on May 23 that he will attend the third round of ministerial-level tariff negotiations between Japan and the US, scheduled to be held in Washington.

Accordingly, Japan proposed that the US adjust its tariff policy and will seek common agreement based on listening to the US's proposals and views to achieve favorable results.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/han-quoc-tang-xuat-khau-gao-sang-nhat-giua-khung-hoang-gia-gao-20250524144210078.htm