上千人排队“抢米”！日本首相：将彻查米价突然高涨原因

Core Viewpoint - The Japanese government is investigating the sudden rise in rice prices, which have increased significantly due to factors such as extreme heat and previous natural disaster warnings, leading to consumer panic buying and long queues for government-subsidized rice [2][3]. Group 1: Price Increase and Investigation - Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the sudden spike in rice prices [3]. - Since summer 2024, rice prices in Japan have been on the rise due to poor harvests caused by extreme heat [3]. - The consumer price index for rice showed an increase of 98.4% in April compared to the previous year, marking the highest increase since 1971 [3]. Group 2: Government Response and Consumer Behavior - The Japanese government has started selling reserve rice in limited quantities to stabilize prices, leading to long queues at supermarkets [4][5]. - In Hokkaido, a store sold out 1,000 bags of reserve rice quickly, with each 5-kilogram bag priced at 2,150 yen (approximately 107 RMB), about half the market price [5]. - The government has implemented a direct supply model for reserve rice sales, bypassing middlemen, and has mandated that retailers complete sales by the end of August [5].