An off-the-cuff remark about never paying for rice has cost Japan’s agriculture minister his job, as pressure mounts on the ...

The resignation comes as the public struggles with record high prices of the country’s traditional staple food.

Japan’s farm minister Taku Eto stepped down on Wednesday following public outrage over one hot-button issue: rice.

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto resigned on Wednesday after remarks he made about rice triggered a firestorm of criticism ...

The remark came in the midst of a rice shortage that has infuriated voters. “Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of ...

Rice is essential to Japanese culture, tradition and politics. People take pride in the oval-shaped sticky Japonica grain ...

Japan's network of agricultural cooperatives, JA, which plays a key role in rice production and distribution, says the number of rice-farming households has "steadily shrunk" from about 4.66 ...

Japan is releasing rice from its national emergency stockpile for the first time to combat shortages. High temperatures reducing rice production and stockpiling are thought to be behind the problem.

TOKYO — Rice is a staple in Japanese culture and cuisine, so much so that the word for “meal” is synonymous with “cooked rice.” But demand for the grain is rapidly outstripping supply ...

When Genki Sakurai began working for his family’s rice farm 17 years ago, there were more than a dozen rice farmers in his neighborhood in the city of Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture. Now ...