Japan faces the bitter harvest of agricultural neglect
“At the centre of Japan’s food security problem lies the gentan program, a government-mandated reduction in rice acreage designed to maintain artificially high prices. This policy was originally implemented to protect small-scale farmers’ income during Japan’s rapid industrialisation in the 1970s, while also preventing rural-to-urban migration that might destabilise social harmony and agriculture. While officially abandoned in 2018, the practice continues, with Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) and the Ministry of Agriculture working in concert to suppress production.”
“Food has emerged as a critical tool in modern conflicts and strategic competition that security experts call ‘hybrid warfare’, where nations use non-military means to project power and pressure competitors. While Japan has voluntarily compromised its strategic position, its food exports hit a record high in 2024. But its self-sufficiency rate has remained low since the early 2000s, reaching 38 per cent in 2023 — the worst among developed economies.”
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/05/02/japan-faces-the-bitter-harvest-of-agricultural-neglect/
- See also: ‘Japan rice prices hit new high despite gov’t steps to boost supply’ – The Japan Times