U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that Japan was not buying American rice, putting pressure on Tokyo as it struggles to seal a trade deal before so-called “reciprocal” tariffs are set to kick in on July 9. Tokyo has not budged on rice, a staple food and cultural heritage that it says is fundamental to its national food security. The rice market is largely protected with trade barriers, although a domestic shortage and a spike in prices have led to a surge in imports this year. WHAT IS JAPAN’S TRADE POLICY ON RICE? Under a World Trade Organization (WTO) “minimum access” framework introduced in 1995, Japan imports about 770,000 metric tons of rice tariff-free every year. Up to 100,000 tons of that is earmarked for staple rice, equivalent to about 1% of total domestic consumption of about 7 million tons. Of the total 767,000 tons Japan imported in the last fiscal year to March 2025, 45% came from the United States. Beyond the “minimum access” framework, Japan imposes a levy ...