Japan is currently facing what some are calling the “Reiwa Rice Riots“—a tongue-in-cheek term for the rice shortage in Japan (sorry, no actual violence). Rice has become so scarce in 2024 that supermarkets have limited customers to one bag each, and prices have surged. Shoppers are panic buying and hoarding rice, and you, too, might be tempted to build your own at-home rice bunker. But before you join the rice rush, let’s talk about what’s happening and why there is a rice shortage in Japan. Stop Blaming TouristsSome experts, even on NHK, have pointed fingers at tourists, suggesting they’re ea…