紐時賞析／日本米短缺 政府仍補助限制種植量…稻農集結抗議

日本農民3月30日在東京抗議政府限制稻米種植量的法規。紐約時報

In Tokyo, Rice Farmers Protest ‘Misguided’ Rules FuelingShortages

日稻農抗議法規「誤導」 加劇米短缺

In the United States, the affordability of eggs has prompted a national discussion — underscoring anxieties about the economy and the government’s role in addressing them. In Japan, there’s an equivalent: rice.

在美國，買不買得起雞蛋引發全國討論──凸顯人們憂心經濟和政府處理的效果。在日本，相對應的食品是：米。

Over the past year, Japan has grappled with a more than 200,000-ton shortage of its staple grain. Rice prices have skyrocketed, and supermarkets have been forced to restrict amounts that shoppers can buy. The situation became so dire that the government had to tap its emergency rice reserves.

過去一年，日本一直設法應付主食短缺超過20萬噸。米價飛漲，超市被迫限制顧客購買量。狀況變得如此嚴峻，以致政府必須動用緊急存糧。

The twist is that even as Japan deals with shortages, the government is paying farmers to limit how much they grow. The policy, in place for more than half a century, consumes billions of dollars a year in public spending.

怪異的是，即使日本米糧短缺，政府仍支付農民補助金限制稻米種植量。這項政策已實施超過半個世紀，每年花費數十億美元公費。

Farmers exasperated with the regulations protested Sunday. In a central Tokyo park, more than 4,000 farmers gathered with signs declaring “Rice is life” and “We make rice but can’t make a living.”

農民對於法規感到惱怒，週日發起抗議。在東京市中心一座公園，超過4000名農民聚集，舉着宣告「米是生命」和「我們會種稻但無法謀生」的標語牌。

The ability of Japan to manage its rice problem may have significant implications for the country’s political and economic landscape in the months ahead.

日本管理米糧問題的能力，可能對未來數月該國政治和經濟格局造成重大影響。

Last month, fresh food inflation surged 19%, driven by an 81% rise in the price of rice. Anxieties over the cost of food and other staples have weighed on Japanese consumers, and the economy, as households cut back on spending.

上個月，鮮食通貨膨脹率激增19%，是米價飆漲81%所導致。隨着日本家戶減少開支，對於食品和其他主食花費的擔憂，使日本消費者和經濟不安。

Shortages of Japan’s staple food are also occurring before an upper house election that will be the first nationwide poll for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. His predecessor resigned in August, facing dismal public approval ratings caused in large part by the cost of basic goods.

日本主食短缺的狀況也出現在參議院選舉之前，這是首相石破茂首次全國性選舉。他的前任去年8月因支持率低迷辭職，主要得歸咎於基本商品花費上漲。

The rice shortages stem from a mix of factors, including record summer heat in 2023 that damaged the harvest.

稻米短缺由多種因素造成，包括2023年夏季創紀錄的高溫破壞稻米收成。

But experts say the root cause lies in a decades-old policy that has systematically reduced arable land for rice growing. Since the 1970s, Japan has subsidized farmers to curtail the production of rice. The goal, officials say, is to support farmer incomes by maintaining high prices.

但專家表示，根本原因在於數十年來的政策系統性減少種植稻米的耕地。自1970年代以來，日本一直補助農民以限制稻米生產。官員表示，目標是藉由維持高價格保障農民收入。

Farmers at the protest said that policy isn’t working.

參與抗議的農民表示，政策根本沒用。

While slightly more costly, a policy focused on expanding production would increase rice supply, enhancing Japan’s food security, while lowering prices for consumers, said Nobuhiro Suzuki, a professor at the University of Tokyo specializing in agricultural economics. Enabling farmers to grow without restrictions while backstopping their incomes would also make the industry more attractive to new generations of workers, he said.

東京大學農業經濟教授鈴木宣弘表示，儘管花費略高，一個關注擴大生產的政策將增加稻米供應，加強日本糧食安全。他說，讓農民在沒有限制的狀況下種植，同時保障他們的收入，也將使該產業對新一代勞動者更具吸引力。

文／River Akira Davis and Hisako　Ueno 譯／羅方妤