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Japan lawmaker takes flak for calling rice stockpiles ‘animal feed’
Opposition chief Yuichiro Tamaki accused of politicising the rice shortage issue amid soaring prices
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Japan’s Democratic Party for the People head Yuichiro Tamaki has drawn the ire of social media users after he referred to the government’s rice stockpiles as “animal feed in a year”.
Tamaki is apparently referring to reserve rice from 2021 that the government plans to release to the public in an effort to curb soaring prices nationwide.
The government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sold stockpiled rice that has exceeded its five-year storage period as animal feed, but critics said Tamaki was politicising the rice shortage issue.
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During a parliamentary session on Wednesday, Tamaki, whose party has pitched policies aimed at garnering support from younger voters, said, “Even if you say you’re selling something that would end up as animal feed at a low price, it’s not something people truly need.”
02:28
Japan to release emergency rice stocks as prices soar
Japan to release emergency rice stocks as prices soar
Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who has pledged to make the stockpiled rice available in stores at 2,000 yen (US$14) per 5kg, said, “Even if that is true, such a remark is unfortunate, especially as we are working on the best way to release it.”
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