News in Easy English: Japanese supermarket Aeon to sell rice from the US

The Mainichi

15-05-2025

TOKYO -- The Japanese supermarket Aeon Co. will start selling new rice called "Karoyaka" from the U.S. state of California on June 6. They will do this because rice from Japan has become expensive.
Aeon will sell 4 kilograms of this U.S. rice for 2,680 yen (about $18.20) before tax. Aeon says many customers need rice that costs less because Japanese rice prices are high right now.
The rice is called Calrose. Calrose rice grows in California. Aeon plans to sell it mostly in big cities in Japan. People in cities have more trouble finding enough rice these days. The store plans to sell about 14,000 metric tons of this rice over the summer, when rice often becomes harder to find.
Calrose rice is harder than Japanese rice. It is good for foods like fried rice or risotto. Aeon says people cooking Calrose rice should use a little more water than with Japanese rice.
Aeon says Calrose rice is not better or worse than Japanese rice. It is just another new kind of rice for customers to choose.
Japanese rice prices became very high last summer and stayed high. In April, Aeon also started selling Japanese rice mixed with U.S. rice. Many customers liked this mixed rice. Because the mixed rice sold well, Aeon decided to sell Calrose rice as a new item.
Between April 28 and May 4, rice sold at supermarkets in Japan cost an average of 4,214 yen (around $28.60) per 5 kilograms with tax. Aeon's new Calrose rice is a cheaper choice. It will cost about 3,618 yen (around $24.60) per 5 kilograms with tax.