TOKYO -- Japan's agriculture minister complained that an opposition party leader described stockpiled rice as "something that will become animal feed after one year" at the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on May 28.

In asking a question to agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the committee meeting, Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki remarked that "the government says it will sell the rice, which will used to feed animals after a year, at a lower price. Of course, it will be sold at a low price." He also explained that there is strong demand to buy branded rice such as Koshihikari at lower prices, and commented, "Stockpiled rice does not meet real needs."

Koizumi told reporters, "Even if that's the reality, it's a bit disappointing to hear such remarks at a time when we are working on how to release stockpiled rice."

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, stockpiled rice is sold as feed rice and for other uses after about five years of storage.

(Japanese original by Shihoko Abe and Nao Ikeda, Political News Department)