【A Policy Has Been Realized】Good News! The Amount of Government-Stockpiled Rice to Be Provided to Children for Free Has Increased! The Procedures Have
In response to the rice shortage problem, there has been a major movement in the government stockpiled rice provision system!
This summer, rice disappeared from store shelves across the country. Or perhaps some of you have seen it being sold at higher prices than you have ever seen before.
Poverty-stricken families raising children as well as support groups that help families were deeply troubled by the scarcity of rice.??
However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries quickly began improving the operation of government-stockpiled rice after Prime Minister Kishida instructed relevant ministers to “work on the smooth distribution of rice” on August 27! *1
This time, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has responded well to actual needs to use government-stockpiled rice now for children who do not have enough rice to eat even in ordinary times.
【4 Improvements in the Government-Stockpiled Rice Provision System】
1. Parents and Children Being Able to Eat Together
2. Applications Will Be Accepted All Year Round
3. An Increase in the Number of Times Organizations Can Apply From 4 to 5 Times a Year
???(Meals-on-wheels-for-children organizations will be able to receive up to 2.3 tons of rice per year.)
4. Establishment of Regional Centers Nationwide to Serve as Application Offices
1. Parents and Children Will Be Able to Eat Together!!
The most groundbreaking change is that,
will be able to eat government-stockpiled rice with the children!! *2
You may wonder if parents were not allowed to eat the government-stockpiled rice with their children before.
Yes, that is right.
They were told, “Parents, guardians, and others over the age of 18 living in the same household must not eat the government-stockpiled rice.”
The law that is the basis for the system of free provision of government stockpiled rice states that, “provisions may be made in cases where the rice is to be used for educational purposes.” *3
?
This has been interpreted as, “government-stockpiled rice cannot be used unless it is for food education purposes for children.” In the operation of the system,
a rule prohibiting parents of the children from eating the provided government-stockpiled rice was established!!???
With the recent change in the interpretation of the law that allows the provision of government-stockpiled rice to “persons accompanying children” and “persons living with children,” the issue of people over 18 not being able to eat government-stockpiled rice with their children that has troubled support organizations for years has finally, at last, been resolved!!
This is thanks to the hard work of Mr. Murai, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, and those at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries! I think that balancing the bottleneck between legal requirements and the needs of the field was extremely challenging. We thank you for your firm resolution!!
This will allow parents and children, or a younger sister and her 18-year-old brother, to enjoy onigiri rice balls or bowls of rice together.
2. Applications Are to Be Accepted All Year Round!!
Until now, applications for government-stockpiled rice could only be made during limited quarterly periods.
Now it is possible to apply year-round!!
Rice is our staple food and is truly a year-round necessity.
Being able to apply whenever it is necessary is very beneficial for meals-on-wheels-for-children organizations, etc. in various regions that deal with emergency support daily.?
Moreover, previously, the next application could only be submitted after all the government-stockpiled rice that had been provided had been used up and a report was handed in.??
In the future, the next application can be submitted even before the current stock of rice is used up by handing in a “report of ‘expected’ usage!!” (Submission of a report of usage will still be required.)
This is wonderful news for organizations that support more than 500 families, especially in highly populated urban areas.
For example, a meals-on-wheels-for-children organization in Tokyo’s 23 wards distributes all the government-stockpiled rice it receives to families in need by the end of the month.?
However, due to difficulties in the reporting process, they were only able to receive government-stockpiled rice twice a year.?
The new system allows “application for the next provision before the current stock is used up”, so the government-stockpiled rice can be used throughout the year “without interruption.”
…In fact, with regards to this matter, Florence members who had heard many on-site concerns about the intervals between applications had repeated discussions with the division responsible for this in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on how to accommodate such needs since the beginning of this year.??
It can be said that this is a change in the system that meets the actual needs of child support in urban areas, where there are no farmers nearby and rice is the most difficult to come by!!
领英推荐
Thank you to everyone in the division in charge!!
3. The Number of Times Organizations Can Apply Increased From 4 to 5 per Year!
The maximum number of applications per organization has been increased from 4 per year to 5!?
This allows meals-on-wheels-for-children organizations, which can apply for a maximum of 450 kg per application, to receive up to 2.3 tons per year.?
Members of the Diet Members’ League for the Promotion of Meals on Wheels for Children have continuously stressed the need to increase the amount of rice being provided to deliver rice to children in need regularly.
We are grateful for the efforts of the members of the Diet Member’s League!!
(Please see the past article below about the Diet Members’ League for the Promotion of Meals on Wheels for Children.
* The Diet Members’ League for the Promotion of Meals on Wheels for Children Has Been Established!!
4. Regional Centers to Serve as Application Offices Will Be Established Nationwide!
In operations until last fiscal year, meals-on-wheels-for-children organizations, etc. from all over Japan had to apply to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries headquarters in Kasumigaseki.
However, when those in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, who are both busy and geographically far away, receive applications from such organizations supporting families with children in poverty from ABC Town in XYZ Prefecture, there is only so much they can understand of the reality of support activities and local conditions.???
In addition to the 9 Regional Agricultural Administration Offices, etc., new application offices have been established at 51 regional centers, allowing for more flexible application acceptance and delivery procedures in the future, even if the number of applications from organizations all over Japan increases!?
【For Children to Continue Enjoying Delicious Rice in the Future Too】
Florence has been calling for the active provision of government-stockpiled rice to children from families in need under the name of the “Basic Rice Initiative.”
(Please refer to the following past article:?
*Prime Minister Kishida Speaks Out on the “Utilization of Stockpiled Rice” That Florence Has Been Calling For! Prime Minister, Please Continue With the “Basic Rice” Initiative and Make It a Reality.
We are working to realize this initiative with the reassuring pro bono support of the strategy consulting firm, Bain & Company.??
Their clear analysis and advice have always been very helpful! Thank you so much.
The free delivery of government-stockpiled rice to meals-on-wheels-for-children organizations continues to improve, but we are still far from a world where all children can eat rice with peace of mind.
Florence will continue taking action to realize our “Basic Rice Initiative.”
【Florence’s Social Actions and Policy Proposals Are Supported by Your Donations】
Our activities such as these are supported by your donations.
We kindly ask for your warm support!
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【References】
*1 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, “Improving the Operation of Providing Free Government-Stockpiled Rice” (August 30, 2024)
*2 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, “Application of the Guidelines for Delivery of Government-Stockpiled Rice for School Lunch, Etc.” (September 4, 2024)
*3 Act on Stabilization of Supply, Demand, and Prices of Staple Food? (Cabinet Order No. 98 of 1995)?
(Provision of Staple Food) Article 15?
*4 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, “Improving the Operation of Providing Free Government-Stockpiled Rice to Children’s Cafeterias, Etc.” (August 30, 2024)