给大米装GPS防盗！日本米价高涨 民众“按克分饭”…还有人去韩国买米

Core Viewpoint - Japan is experiencing a significant rise in rice prices, with the consumer price index for rice increasing by 98.4% year-on-year as of April, marking the highest increase since 1971 [1][3]. Group 1: Price Trends and Consumer Behavior - The price of rice in Japan has been rising for seven consecutive months, leading some citizens to ration their rice consumption [1]. - In Ibaraki Prefecture, known for its rice production, there have been reports of rice theft, with 14 incidents resulting in approximately 4.5 tons of rice stolen from January 1 to April 27, 2025 [3]. - The retail price of 20 kg of rice in South Korea is approximately 56,147 KRW (around 294 RMB), which is about one-third of the price of rice in Japan, prompting Japanese tourists to bring rice back from Korea [3]. Group 2: Government Response and Policy Changes - To address the rising rice prices, the Japanese government began releasing reserve rice into the market in March, but only about 7% of this rice has reached retail markets as of April 27 [3]. - Following controversial remarks about rice prices, Japan's Agriculture Minister, Takuto Eto, resigned, acknowledging the inappropriateness of his comments amid public discontent over rising prices [5]. - The new Agriculture Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced plans to sell reserve rice directly to retailers at a price of 2,000 JPY (approximately 101 RMB) for a 5 kg bag, bypassing auction mechanisms to stabilize prices [6].