Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba instructed his ministers Tuesday to speed up measures aimed at softening the impact of inflation on households in response to soaring rice and vegetable prices.

Specifically, Ishiba aims to ensure that local governments expedite paying benefits to low-income households and other aid aimed at cushioning the impact of high prices.

In its fiscal 2024 supplementary budget, the government earmarked about ¥1.1 trillion in subsidies to local governments, encouraging them to use the funds to provide benefits to low-income households and help households cover surging utility costs.

But only 70% of local governments plan to start providing the benefits by March.

Ishiba also instructed his ministers to flexibly release rice the government has stockpiled to ensure smooth supplies.

At a news conference, Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa said Ishiba had instructed the Cabinet to proceed quickly with countermeasures on rising prices.

"Citizens are suffering greatly and feeling pain," Akazawa said, noting that the elevated price of rice had been unexpected.

The average transaction price of rice produced last year jumped 55% from the previous year to ¥23,715 ($153) per 60 kilogram, according to government data.

The agriculture ministry last week agreed on a new policy that would allow the government to sell stockpiled rice to farm cooperatives on the condition that the buyers would sell back the equivalent amount to the government within a year. It would be the first time stockpiled rice has been released to bring down prices.

Details, such as the sale price and timing, are yet to be decided, a ministry official said on Tuesday.

Japanese consumer prices rose 3.6% in December from the previous year, marking the biggest jump in almost two years, while the share of households' spending on food hit a four-decade high last year.