During the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, the dinner featured an American rice dish. This sparked a widespread controversy in Japan, where the national rice was completely absent from the menu. Instead, the leaders had beef and American rice. In Japan, rice is not just food, but a part of the nation's identity. Japan is facing a severe rice shortage, and prices hit record highs earlier this year, prompting the government to use emergency reserves and import more foreign rice, despite many customers' reluctance to buy it. Trump had previously threatened to impose higher tariffs on Japanese exports of this staple food, accusing Japan of refusing to buy American-grown rice. Last June, he wrote on Truth Social: 'They won't take our rice, and yet they have a severe shortage. Many Japanese people take pride in their local rice. Offering American rice could be seen as a gesture to win Trump's favor, who has long urged Japan to buy more American goods. In other words, we're going to send them a message, and we look forward to being a trade partner for many years to come.'
