Japan Is Running Out of Butter to Feed Its Butter Obsession

Why is the Asian country importing 10,000 metric tons of butter?

In this Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014 photo, a shopper chooses dairy products as the shelf selling butter, right, is almost empty at a supermarket in Tokyo. AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi

Anticipating a butter shortage of 7,100 metric tons this fiscal year, Japanese authorities announced on Wednesday that it will be importing 10,000 metric tons of the dairy product to keep up with demand.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the imports will begin in June and reach the 10,000 figure by the end of October, according to a report by the Japan Times.