The development of the card system is expected in the coming days. The initiative was proposed by Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki and was prompted by rising rice prices.
“The inclusion of cards, known as 'Okome tickets', in the government's package of measures has become a necessity. The average retail price of rice exceeds 4,000 yen, which creates a financial burden on families with children and elderly people living on low-income pensions,” the official statement emphasizes.
Some local authorities have already begun purchasing and distributing the cards; however, this does not exclude high transportation and administration costs, which could ultimately exceed the cost of the rice by one and a half times.
It was previously reported that a possible rice crop failure in the country was due to drought. In regions such as Tohoku and Hokuriku, July saw a record low amount of precipitation in the last 80 years, coinciding with abnormally high temperatures. This situation could lead to further price increases, which by that time had already exceeded rice prices by 50% compared to 2024.
