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Japan: Long Lines Form at Gas Stations Ahead of Price Hike

Long lines of vehicles formed at gas stations across Japan on Wednesday, March 11, as drivers rushed to fill up before an expected sharp rise in fuel prices. Major oil wholesalers announced plans to raise gasoline wholesale prices by an average of 26 yen per liter starting March 12, prompting a surge in last-minute refueling.

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Japan to release government-held oil reserves

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press at her official residence in Tokyo on March 11, 2026, announcing that Japan would release 15 days' worth of reserves held by the private sector and then one month's worth of government-held oil in response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The announcement was made hours before International Energy Agency member countries unanimously agreed on the largest-ever oil stockpile release.

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Japan to release government-held oil reserves

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press at her official residence in Tokyo on March 11, 2026, announcing that Japan would release 15 days' worth of reserves held by the private sector and then one month's worth of government-held oil in response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The announcement was made hours before International Energy Agency member countries unanimously agreed on the largest-ever oil stockpile release.

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Japan to release government-held oil reserves

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press at her official residence in Tokyo on March 11, 2026, announcing that Japan would release 15 days' worth of reserves held by the private sector and then one month's worth of government-held oil in response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The announcement was made hours before International Energy Agency member countries unanimously agreed on the largest-ever oil stockpile release.

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Japan to release government-held oil reserves

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press at her official residence in Tokyo on March 11, 2026, announcing that Japan would release 15 days' worth of reserves held by the private sector and then one month's worth of government-held oil in response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The announcement was made hours before International Energy Agency member countries unanimously agreed on the largest-ever oil stockpile release.

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Japan to release government-held oil reserves

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press at her official residence in Tokyo on March 11, 2026, announcing that Japan would release one month's worth of government-held oil in response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The announcement was made hours before International Energy Agency member countries unanimously agreed on the largest-ever oil stockpile release.

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Reserve rice at convenience store

Rice from the Japanese government's stockpile is sold at a convenience store in Tokyo on June 5, 2025, amid soaring rice prices. (Pool photo)

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visits a convenience store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 5, 2025. (Pool photo)

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Reserve rice at convenience store

Rice from the Japanese government's stockpile is sold at a convenience store in Tokyo on June 5, 2025, amid soaring rice prices. (Pool photo)

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Reserve rice at convenience store

Rice from the Japanese government's stockpile is sold at a convenience store in Tokyo on June 5, 2025, amid soaring rice prices. (Pool photo)

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visits a convenience store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 5, 2025. (Pool photo)

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (2nd from R) visits a discount store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (R) visits a discount store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visits a discount store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) visits a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) visits a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (2nd from L) visits a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) visits a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) visits a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi meets the press during a visit to a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Farm minister visits store selling reserve rice

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi meets the press during a visit to a department store selling rice from the government's stockpile, in Tokyo on June 1, 2025.

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Government rice stockpile

Photo taken on May 30, 2025, shows packaged rice from a government stockpile at a rice polishing plant in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, that is under contract with the company operating Don Quijote discount stores. The company has procured 15,000 tons of the stockpiled rice harvested in 2022 and plans to sell it at 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms, excluding tax, amid soaring prices.

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Government rice stockpile

Photo taken on May 30, 2025, shows packaged rice from a government stockpile at a rice polishing plant in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, that is under contract with the company operating Don Quijote discount stores. The company has procured 15,000 tons of the stockpiled rice harvested in 2022 and plans to sell it at 2,000 yen per 5 kilograms, excluding tax, amid soaring prices.

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Government rice stockpile

Rice from a government stockpile is delivered on May 30, 2025, to a rice polishing plant in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, that is under contract with the company operating Don Quijote discount stores.

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Japan's rice reserves

Bags containing Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are brought to a rice mill in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025. The government started releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

Bags containing Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are brought to a rice mill in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025. The government started releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

Bags containing Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are brought to a rice mill in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025. The government started releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

The Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are pictured in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025, as the government begins releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

The Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are pictured in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025, as the government begins releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

The Japanese government's emergency rice reserves are pictured in Saitama Prefecture on March 18, 2025, as the government begins releasing rice from its stockpile the same day amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

Bags containing the Japanese government's stockpiled rice are taken out from a warehouse in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on March 18, 2025. The government started releasing rice from the stockpile amid soaring prices of the Japanese staple.

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Japan's rice reserves

Bags containing the Japanese government's stockpiled rice are taken out from a warehouse in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on March 18, 2025. The government started releasing rice from the stockpile amid soaring prices of the Japanese staple.

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Japan's rice reserves

Photo shows Japanese government's rice stockpile at a warehouse in Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, on March 18, 2025.

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Australia: Empty Shelves at Supermarkets as Cyclone Alfred Approaches 2

Residents flocked to supermarkets to stock up on essentials as Cyclone Alfred approached. The category two cyclone is expected to make landfall late Thursday night, March 6, or early Friday morning. This video filmed on Tuesday, showing empty shelves of toilet paper at a store in Brisbane.

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Australia: Empty Shelves at Supermarkets as Cyclone Alfred Approaches

Residents flocked to supermarkets to stock up on essentials as Cyclone Alfred approached. The category two cyclone is expected to make landfall late Thursday night, March 6, or early Friday morning. This video filmed on Tuesday, showing empty shelves of toilet paper at a store in Brisbane.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Japan's rice reserves

File photo taken on April 17, 2024, show the Japanese government's rice stockpile at a storage center in Fukushima Prefecture. The government said on Feb. 14, 2025, that it will release up to 210,000 tons of its stockpiled rice in a bid to ensure smooth distribution of the Japanese staple amid soaring prices.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon 6

Residents rushed to supermarkets, and shelves were seen empty at stores across Taiwan as Typhoon Krathon is forecasted to make landfall on Thursday, October 3.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon 5

Residents rushed to supermarkets, and shelves were seen empty at stores across Taiwan as Typhoon Krathon is forecasted to make landfall on Wednesday, October 2.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon 3

Residents rushed to supermarkets, and shelves were seen empty at stores across Taiwan as Typhoon Krathon is forecasted to make landfall on Wednesday, October 2.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon 4

Residents rushed to supermarkets, and shelves were seen empty at stores across Taiwan as Typhoon Krathon is forecasted to make landfall on Wednesday, October 2.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon 2

Supermarket shelves were seen empty across Taiwan on Monday, September 30, as shoppers rushed to get groceries ahead of Typhoon Krathon's forecasted landfall.

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Taiwan: Shoppers Rush To Supermarkets Ahead Of Typhoon Krathon

Supermarket shelves were seen empty across Taiwan on Monday, September 30, as shoppers rushed to get groceries ahead of Typhoon Krathon's forecasted landfall.

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Salt Supply in China As Nuclear Contamination in Japan

YICHANG, CHINA - AUGUST 26, 2023 - A citizen shows salt he bought in Yichang, Hubei province, China, Aug 26, 2023. Recently, affected by the discharge of nuclear contaminated water in Japan, some parts of China have seen a wave of salt buying. The relevant person in charge of the China Salt Industry Association said that China's salt reserves are sufficient and the production capacity is stable, which can fully guarantee the salt supply, and the masses do not need to stockpile salt.

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Salt Supply in China As Nuclear Contamination in Japan

YICHANG, CHINA - AUGUST 26, 2023 - A citizen shows salt he bought in Yichang, Hubei province, China, Aug 26, 2023. Recently, affected by the discharge of nuclear contaminated water in Japan, some parts of China have seen a wave of salt buying. The relevant person in charge of the China Salt Industry Association said that China's salt reserves are sufficient and the production capacity is stable, which can fully guarantee the salt supply, and the masses do not need to stockpile salt.

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Salt Supply in China As Nuclear Contamination in Japan

YICHANG, CHINA - AUGUST 26, 2023 - A citizen shows salt he bought in Yichang, Hubei province, China, Aug 26, 2023. Recently, affected by the discharge of nuclear contaminated water in Japan, some parts of China have seen a wave of salt buying. The relevant person in charge of the China Salt Industry Association said that China's salt reserves are sufficient and the production capacity is stable, which can fully guarantee the salt supply, and the masses do not need to stockpile salt.