Rice bugs, a native Japanese insect that sucks sap from rice plants, are spreading rapidly nationwide and causing increasingly serious damage to the rice-growing industry, according to officials and experts.
According to the latest information, the insect has been found in 37 prefectures across Japan, indicating a worrying expansion compared with previous years. The damage they cause to crops continues to rise, directly affecting rice yields and quality.
Experts and authorities warn that the habitat of the rice bug could expand further in the coming period. The main cause cited is global warming, which allows more individuals to survive the winter, boosting their density and range in subsequent rice-growing seasons.
In response, officials are closely monitoring the situation and advising farmers to strengthen control measures to limit the damage. However, controlling this native species is seen as complicated, as climate factors continue to create favorable conditions for it to breed.
