Last year’s harvest was ample, raising hopes that it would ease a tight supply. Instead, consumers are paying record prices this year.
Photographer: Buddhika Weerasinghe/BloombergThe Mystery of How 230,000 Tons of Rice Went Missing in Japan
Record prices for rice are rippling through society
Japan does not have enough rice for sale, but no one can agree on exactly why.
Last year’s harvest edged higher, raising hopes that it would ease a tight supply. Instead, consumers are paying record prices this year, sparking frustration, finger-pointing and forcing the government to tap its emergency supplies.