Experts on a Japanese agriculture ministry panel have come up with proposals on what the government should do if the country faces food shortages. The move comes amid concerns over food security, partly due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The report calls for measures on rice, wheat, soybeans, eggs, meat and other produce. It stresses the need for officials to stay up-to-date on levels of production, imports and inventory of such items.

The experts say the government should urge businesses and farmers to increase imports or output, and adjust shipments if food supplies fall by more than 20 percent from usual. The panel also calls for the government to instruct producers and importers to draw up plans in such a case.
The report says that in the event it becomes tough to secure the nation's minimum required calories, officials should ask farmers to shift their production to high-calorie items or instruct them to create plans to this effect.

The ministry plans to submit related bills to the Diet next year to legislate measures based on the report.