News & Stories Asia Why the price of rice is so high in Japan Ari Shapiro Kira Wakeam Patrick Jarenwattananon July 22, 2025 / 1:07 pm The price of rice in Japan has doubled in the last year. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with University of Pittsburgh scholar Kay Shimizu about what's behind the shortage in the homeland of sushi. Why you can trust KUOW