Nearly 60% expect rice prices to fall with new farm minister: poll

Japan aims to slash stockpiled rice prices, new farm minister says

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan began sales of government rice stockpiles via direct contracts Monday, aiming to slash soaring prices after the newly appointed

59.8% expect rice prices to fall with Koizumi in charge: Kyodo poll

Nearly 60 percent of Japanese believe soaring rice prices will fall with the appointment of a new farm minister, following his predecessor's sacking over a controversial remark about being gifted rice that angered consumers, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday. In the two-day telephone poll conducted from Saturday, 59.8 percent…

Nearly 60% expect rice prices to fall with new farm minister: poll

Nearly 60 percent of Japanese believe soaring rice prices will fall with the appointment of a new farm minister, following his predecessor's sacking over a controversial remark about being gifted rice that angered consumers, a Kyodo News survey shows.

Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced a new method for releasing government stockpiled rice on the 26th. Competitive bidding will be abolished, and the government will sell directly to retailers such as major supermarkets of its choosing through discretionary contracts. The aim is to have rice on store shelves in early June for 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms. The amount to be released will be 300,000 tons, with more to be released depending…