Japan’s feed industry shifts toward corn as rice prices remain elevated

corn imports in the 2025-26 marketing year (MY), while enhanced domestic rice production is projected to curtail rice imports. The FAS forecasts a 2.2% rise in corn imports for MY 2025-26, reaching 15.8 million tonnes, the highest volume in six years. This increase is attributed to softening global corn prices and a strategic substitution of rice in feed formulations, where rice has become less economically viable due to its elevated cost. Japan’s rice sector has experienced significant challenges since the 2024 shortage, which was exacerbated by historically low stocks, adverse weather impacts on the 2023 harvest, and unanticipated surges in demand from tourism and stockpiling behaviors. These factors resulted in empty supermarket shelves and prompted the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to release emergency rice supplies and implement measures to stabilize the market. Despite these interventions, rice prices have continued to climb through 2025, influencing ...