[Challenging the 'Premium Sake = Sake Rice' Norm] Providing 'Stable Demand' to Farmers Facing Overproduction. A 161-Year-Old Sake Brewery's Business Model and Symbiotic Platform Concept for Table Rice Daiginjo

The more it yields, the lower the price. This is the reality for table rice farmers. Two years after the 'Reiwa Rice Crisis,' while rice shortages and price hikes were major social issues, Japan in 2026 is now facing anxiety over a 'rice price crash.' If production increases, prices collapse; if production decreases, shortages occur. If prices rise, consumers suffer; if they fall, farmers suffer. This contradiction is happening in Japan's rice fields. Watanabe Sake Brewery, a 161-year-old establishment, is practicing a symbiotic model through its Junmai Daiginjo 'Iyasaka no Sake Kotobuki,' made from 'Nikomaru' table rice polished to 40%. The company aims to build a network where breweries across regions collaborate to create stable demand for table rice, supporting Japan's agricultural challenges. Under the 'Food System Act' enacted in 2026, the roles of food manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and private companies are being questioned. By challenging the norm that premium sake requires specific sake rice, Watanabe Sake Brewery aims to create fixed demand unaffected by market prices. In September 2026, the company plans to sell both Yamada Nishiki and 'Nikomaru' versions simultaneously at Osaka Takashimaya.