Scientists in Japan have expressed deep concern over the rising temperatures, which they say could affect both the yield and the quality of rice, a staple of the Japanese diet.

Japan is getting warmer. In the last decade or so the country's annual average temperature has been between 0.2 and one degree higher than the average recorded in the last 30 years. Research being carried out by Japanese government scientists suggests that if this trend continues, rice yields and quality could suffer.

The scientists have also expressed fear that if Japan continues to heat up people might start to notice a change in the taste of the rice too unless new methods can be employed to protect the plants from the sun's rays.