Farm ministry punishes 56 officials over false reports on rice survey+

TOKYO, June 19 Kyodo -
The farm ministry on Friday punished 56 officials, including those transferred
to other ministries and agencies, over their false reports on rice inventory
surveys across the country.

Five of the officials were suspended for up to one year and 24 others received
salary cuts, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said.
Four officials were reprimanded and 23 others were admonished over their
management responsibilities as superiors.
The false reports involved 16 regional agricultural administration offices and
district agriculture offices across the country.
In some cases, officials misappropriated rewards such as book tokens to be
given to farmers who cooperated in the surveys for use as basic data for
reductions in rice acreage.
The ministry conducted a review of its seven current surveys on rice and wheat,
and decided to abolish one and consolidate the others into three surveys.
The ministry also decided to send the rewards by mail to farmers, instead of
handing them over directly.
==Kyodo