In the United States, Social Security is often referred to as the "third rail," meaning you touch it at your peril. In Japan, the "third rail" is rice. You disturb the supply of Japanese-grown ultrahigh-quality rice at a reasonable price at your peril.
People around the world often do not understand that. For many, rice is rice. The U.S. government certainly does not get it.
But in Japan, every region has its rice varieties and brands that are promoted and treasured for their subtle taste and texture differences. The Japanese have no trouble identifying which region produced the rice and its grade with just one bite.
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