Japan Rice Price Crisis Reveals a Twofold Policy Dilemma

The price of table rice in Japan has skyrocketed. As of June 2025, the average wholesale price had reached 27,102 yen per 60 kilograms. That’s 452 yen per kilogram —or roughly $3.12 at the current exchange rate. In retail, the average price of a 5-kilogram bag had surpassed 4,285 yen ($29.50). Compared to 2021, the price of table rice had more than doubled, causing widespread unease among the Japanese public.

Merger of Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern Highlights the Need to End Amtrak Subsidies

Founded in 1971, Amtrak set out on a bold adventure to see if passenger trains could be profitable. Fast forward to today, and this experiment has been unsuccessful. Politicians have often chosen routes to win votes rather than attract riders. As a result, Amtrak has been squandering taxpayer money for 54 years.

Stuck in Jackson Hole

The Federal Reserve has what the New York Times called its “biggest shindig” of the year at Jackson Hole, Wyoming next week. Curiously, the once sleepy, small, mountain town area is now a playground for billionaires and (for our purposes) hosts the most important monetary policy conference in the world for central bankers.