Key Facts
• July 19, 2025: Shinjiro Koizumi campaigns in Tokyo for Keizo Takemi.
• Koizumi defends government’s discretionary release of reserve rice at ¥2,000 per unit.
• Rice prices dropped from ¥4,200 to ¥3,500-¥3,600 over eight weeks.
• Opposition criticized high rice prices but now blames Koizumi for price drops.
• Koizumi accuses opposition of inconsistency and inability to lead Japan.
• He highlights government’s firm stance in U.S.-Japan rice trade negotiations.
• Koizumi recalls Democratic Party’s unfulfilled promises during 2009 regime change.
• Criticizes opposition’s proposal for 0% food tax for one year as inconsistent.
• Large crowd gathered under intense heat to hear Koizumi’s speech.
• Koizumi vows to persistently advocate for the Liberal Democratic Party.
Summary
On July 19, 2025, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi campaigned in Tokyo, supporting Keizo Takemi in the upcoming Upper House election. Koizumi strongly defended the government’s discretionary release of reserve rice, which lowered prices from ¥4,200 to ¥3,500-¥3,600 over eight weeks. He criticized the opposition for inconsistency, noting their shift from blaming high rice prices to accusing him of harming farmers. Koizumi also highlighted the government’s firm stance in U.S.-Japan rice trade negotiations and recalled unfulfilled promises by the Democratic Party during the 2009 regime change. He dismissed the opposition’s proposal for a 0% food tax as lacking coherence. Addressing a large crowd under intense heat, Koizumi reaffirmed his commitment to the Liberal Democratic Party, emphasizing its capability to navigate Japan through global challenges.
