Last year, the results of the "Taste Ranking", which evaluates the taste of produced rice, were made public, and 43 brands received the highest rating of "Special A".
The number of ``Special A'' brands has increased for the first time in five years, due to an increase in the number of brands that are said to be resistant to high temperatures.
The Japan Grain Inspection Association, which evaluates the quality and safety of agricultural products, examines the taste and aroma of produced rice every year and rates them on a five-point scale.
This year, 144 brands of rice nationwide were subject to examination, and 43 brands, three more than the previous year, were rated as the highest "Special A".
As global warming progresses, approximately 60% of the brands rated as "Special A" are varieties that are resistant to high temperatures, such as "Nikomaru" and "Kinumusume."
As the number of brands rated "Special A" for these varieties has increased, the number of "Special A" brands overall has increased for the first time in five years.
On the other hand, 27 brands have fallen in the rankings this time, and 14 of these are from the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions, including Niigata Prefecture, which have suffered from poor growth due to record heat.
For Koshihikari in Niigata Prefecture, Joetsu dropped its rating from "Special A" to "A", and
only "Uonuma" received a "Special A" rating this time.
At a press conference, the group's chairman, Michio Ide, said, ``We were praised for taking on the challenge of developing a new variety that is resistant to high temperatures in the midst of an intense heatwave.''