In 2025, Japan suffered from a rice shortage. As a countermeasure, the government decided to release the stockpiled rice that had been stockpiled in preparation for disasters. This stockpile rice was harvested in 2023 (old rice), 2022 (old rice), and 2021 (old rice). This old rice was said to be unpalatable and smelly. The baby boomer generation grew up on skim milk powder and bread rolls for school lunches. In the days when there was nothing else to eat, it was a treat. If old rice is avoided because it is unpalatable or smelly, then it is fine to eat expensive rice. But those who do not have money can eat it in a creative way. Of course, people with money can also make old rice taste good if they find the right way to eat it. And they can use the money they save to invest or donate.
It turns out that human taste is actually more subtle than we think. Associate Professor Tomokazu Ishikawa of Toyo University is researching the impact of vision on food and taste. We took a peek at a part of this research. A family visits a restaurant on a family anniversary and enjoys a luxurious dinner. All members of the family are wearing goggles and devices on their heads and necks. A video is playing from the finish line saying, “The steak is tender and delicious, and the curry has a deep flavor.” However, when we take a look at the actual dining table, we see simple dried meat and instant curry lined up. Technological advances are providing various opportunities to people who want delicious food. With current technology, it seems that there are several ways to make old rice taste good.
Japan has been declining in momentum since the 21st century. One example is agriculture (rice shortage). Another is the gender gap. Furthermore, it has come to be said to be a developed country with a low birth rate and an aging population. In contrast to this, there is Denmark. The Danish economy is stable due to the high employment rate of women. Female lawmakers firmly established maternity leave and childcare leave. They designed the system so that women could continue working even after giving birth. Childcare support in Denmark was established in the 1980s. The productive population involved in agriculture has been secured, making it a wealthy country. People from Denmark ask, “Why does Japan have so many fallow fields, despite its low self-sufficiency rate?” Denmark’s agriculture has a self-sufficiency rate of 300%. I look at Japan as a strange country, wondering why we don’t think about growing our own food. Japan should also tackle its individual challenges so that it doesn’t become a strange country.
