Shinjiro Koizumi (44), the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and a Japanese politician known for his distinctive remarks, introduced a new rice stock policy aimed at stabilizing soaring rice prices just four days after being appointed Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
The newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Koizumi is a candidate for the next prime minister, as he placed third in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential election last September. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is equivalent to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in Korea. Experts assessed that the direction of rice prices is likely to be a turning point in his political fate.
On the 26th, Koizumi held a press conference and declared, “The government will sell the rice it has stored directly to major retailers like AEON and Ito-Yokado, bypassing the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA Zen-Noh).”
His intention is to break the monopoly structure of rice distribution led by JA Zen-Noh. He specifically added, “If there is demand, I will release the stored rice without limit,” and “I will supply it quickly through a small contract.”
If this plan is realized, government-stored rice will be released immediately to the market, potentially leading to a short-term decrease in rice prices. In the long term, there are also forecasts that it could dismantle the long-standing vested interests cartel established by JA Zen-Noh.
JA Zen-Noh is similar to Korea's NongHyup. In Japan, most of the rice released by the government for price adjustment was bought and stored by JA Zen-Noh before being shipped. However, JA Zen-Noh recently delayed the release of stored rice intentionally, citing, “An increase in distribution volume will lower rice prices.”
As a result, the Japanese rice market is experiencing significant turmoil, referred to as the Reiwa rice disturbance. According to the Japan Agricultural Newspaper, as of the 24th of this month, the average retail price of rice in Japan is 4,268 yen (about 40,000 won) for 5 kilograms, nearly doubling from a year ago. In some primary rice producing regions like Niigata, a 5-kilogram bag has even exceeded 6,500 yen (around 62,000 won).
Minister Koizumi stated immediately after taking office, “I will stake everything on solving the rice problem,” and asked to be called the “Rice Minister,” demonstrating strong will regarding this issue.
According to Asahi Shimbun, he presented a specific target, stating he would lower rice prices to 2,000 yen (about 19,000 won) for 5 kilograms by June.
Koizumi, born in 1981, first entered politics at the age of 28, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a prime minister. He is currently a six-term member of the House of Representatives belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party, having been first appointed as the Minister of the Environment at the age of 38 during Shinzo Abe's administration in 2019.
He is widely popular domestically and internationally for his handsome appearance and candid, lively speech.
In the past, during his time as Minister of the Environment, he controversially stated regarding the issue of super-aging society, “600 million people with confidence and optimism about the future are stronger than 120 million who are pessimistic about the future,” emphasizing that “rather than finding ways to increase the population, we should think about how to live well with confidence.”
Regarding climate change measures, he garnered attention with his unique remark that we should respond in a “fun, cool, and sexy” manner.
His wife, Kristel Takigawa, is a prominent announcer who handled the Tokyo Olympic presentation. His brother, Kotaro Koizumi, is also active as a popular actor, starring in prime-time dramas.
On the other hand, he tends not to clearly state his political beliefs. Japanese media often investigate the political tendencies of candidates in each House of Representatives election. Koizumi has often left many questions unanswered in his past six elections.
Political analysts note that while Koizumi's internal party foundation is relatively weak, this may enable him to push through bold policies without being tied to specific interest groups or cartels such as JA Zen-Noh.
He tends to appear as if he is casually speaking with a unique style, but reveals a competitive spirit that attempts to break through at decisive moments.
He actively promotes policies needed for the future, such as environmental issues and social security reforms, particularly to highlight his young and reformist image that is differentiated from established politicians. Koizumi was also the first minister in Japanese history to take two weeks of paternity leave.
The diplomatic magazine The Diplomat evaluated last fall that “Koizumi is a politician 'without a boss'” and noted that he displays similar political techniques as his father, former Prime Minister Koizumi, who pushed for the privatization of the Japan Postal System despite opposition within the party when he was young.
Of course, his path is expected to be anything but smooth. Following Koizumi's press conference on the 26th, the Japanese agricultural community, including JA Zen-Noh, began organized resistance. Within the ruling party, lawmakers who are based in rural districts are likely to continue their opposition.
According to the Japan News Network, experts predict that “with Ishiba's cabinet approval rate at 21%, the lowest since its inception, the rice price issue will determine the future of the regime ahead of the July House of Councilors election,” adding, “If Shinjiro Koizumi, the new Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, achieves tangible results that the Japanese people can feel, he will have a significant advantage in the next prime minister race.”