FY2019
Summary of the Annual
Report on Food, Agriculture
and Rural Areas in Japan

June 2020

Contents
FY2019 Annual Report on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas in Japan
Special Topic 1 New Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas
2 Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers
Topic 1 Food, Agriculture, Rural Areas and SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)
2 Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement･････ 3･････ 6･････11･････14

Chapter 1 Securing Stable Food Supply
1 Food self-sufficiency ratio and food self-sufficiency potential･････162 Strategic exploration of global market･････16

3 Global food supply and demand, and efforts for establishing food security･････18

4 Food consumption trends and promotion of shokuiku (food and nutrition education) ･････19
5 Ensuring food safety and consumers’ confidence･････19

6 Animal and plant quarantine･････20

7 Trends of food industry･････20

8 Creation of new values through production, processing and distribution stages･････21

Chapter 2
1

Trends of agricultural output, agricultural production income, etc.

･････222

Promoting structural reform of agriculture･････223

Developing and conserving agricultural production infrastructure･････24

4

Trends of rice policy reform･････24

5

Production trends for major farm and livestock products･････25

6

Promoting measures to enhance agricultural production competitiveness･････26

7

Promotion of environmental policy such as responses to climate change･････27

8

Agriculture-related organizations supporting agriculture･････27

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

Taking Advantage of Local Resources to Promote and Vitalize Rural Areas

1

Current status of rural areas and trends of regional empowerment･････282

Promoting agriculture in hilly and mountainous areas･････28

3Harmonious coexistence and interactions between cities and rural areas centered on countryside stay･････28

4

Maintaining and demonstrating multifunctional roles of agriculture and rural areas･････295

Wildlife damage and Gibier･････30

6

Utilizing renewable energy･････30

7Promotion of urban agriculture･････318

Promoting agriculture-welfare collaboration･････31

Restoration/Reconstruction from Natural Disasters, Disaster Prevention/Reduction and Strengthening National Resilience

1

Restoration/reconstruction from natural disasters in FY2019･････32

2

Disaster prevention/reduction, strengthening national resilience and preparations that should be made by farmers･････33

3

Restoration/Reconstruction from Great East Japan Earthquake･････34

4

Restoration/Reconstruction from Kumamoto Earthquake･････34

5

Response to the Novel Coronavirus･････35

FY2020 Measures for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas･････37

Special
Topic 1

New Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas

Based on the Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas Basic Act, a new Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture andRural Areas was formulated in March 2020 as a medium- to long-term basic guideline for agricultural
policies.

In the new basic plan, challenges are identified as securing a stable supply of food that is indispensable
to people's lives, improving the food self-sufficiency ratio and establishing food security by promoting"industrial policy" for transforming agriculture and food industries into a growth industry as well as"regional policy" for promoting the maintenance and implementation of agriculture's multifunctional roles
as the two driving forces.



In addition to the total food self-sufficiency ratio targets set on a calorie basis and a production value
basis, new targets for “food domestic production ratio” that does not reflect the feed self-sufficiency ratio
are set as an index to evaluate the situation of domestic production regardless of whether the feed isdomestic or imported.

New Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas

There have been significant changes in the situation surrounding Japan’s food, agriculture and rural areas, such as a fullfledged declining birthrate and aging population, lifestyle changes and expansion of overseas markets, weakening ofproduction base due to the decrease in the amount of farmland and number of workers engaged in farming and concerns
over the maintenance of local communities.
To pass Japan’s food culture and lively agriculture and rural areas onto the next generation, various measures arepromoted, such as the development of production and supply systems that adapt to changes in demand structure, strategic
expansion into global markets, strengthening of the production base of various entities, such as those run by SMEs andfamilies and integration of regional policies in collaboration with the relevant parties.

Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas (March 2020)- Passing Japan’s food culture and lively agriculture and rural areas onto the next generation -Circumstances surrounding food,agriculture and rural areas
Steady progress ofagricultural policy reform

Export of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products
and foods
449.7 billion yen (2012) → 912.1 billion yen (2019)
Agricultural production income
2.8 trillion yen (2014) → 3.5 trillion yen (2018)
Newcomer youths in agriculture
18,800 persons/year (average for 2009-2013)→ 21,400 persons/year (average for 2014-2018)
Environmental changes
inside and outside Japan

Basic policies
Promote industrial policies and regional policies as two wheels of a cart tostably supply food essential for people’s life now and in the future, and achieve
improved food self-sufficiency ratio and establishment of food security
Basic viewpoints for promoting
measures Policies that meet the needs of consumers and users
 Forming a national consensus on establishment of food security and importance ofagriculture and rural areas
 Developing and securing human resources toward ensuring the sustainability ofagriculture and deploying policies for enhancing production bases
smart agriculture and promoting digital transformation of agriculture AcceleratingA Integrating regional policies and maintaining and demonstrating multifunctional roles Reinforcing measures against risks that threaten the sustainability of agriculture,such as disasters, livestock diseases, and climate change(1) Shrinking Japanese markets and expanding overseas markets• Decline in population, diversification of consumer needs

 Promoting measures for increasing income in agriculture and rural areas
 Policies that bolster sustainable activities triggered by SDGs

(2) New international environment such as TPP11 and Japan- U.S.
Trade Agreement(3) Frequent large-scale natural disasters, new infectious diseases(4) Outbreak of CSF (classical swine fever) and response to ASF(African swine fever)

Weakening production base

Substantial reduction in the number of persons
engaged in farming and farmland area

Food self-sufficiency ratio
targets, etc.
[Calorie supply basis] 37% (2018 result) → 45% (2030 target) (To assess the situation of food security)[Production value basis] 66% (2018 result) → 75% (2030 target) (To assess the situation of economic activity)[Feed self-sufficiency ratio] 25% (2018 result) → 34% (2030 target)[Food domestic production ratio] Newly specified to assess the situationof domestic production without reflecting the feed self-sufficiency ratio<Calorie supply basis> 46% (2018 result) → 53% (2030 target)<Production value basis> 69% (2018 result) → 79% (2030 target)
Food self-sufficiency potential indicator(potential capacity of food production)
An indicator that takes into account labor in addition to farmland area is proposed.
Also, prospect for 2030 is presented.

Key points of the new Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas○ Continued promotion of agricultural policy reform for developing agriculture industry to a growth sector○ Setting the goal of expanding agriculture, forestry and fisheries products and food exports to 5 trillion yen by 2030
○ Raising the standard of agricultural business at various management entities including small-/medium-sized and family farms
through enhancement of production base

○ Integration of regional policies mustering all policies related to promotion of regions including rural areas throughcollaboration with interested parties○ Formation of a national consensus on food and agriculture through development of new national movements

Source: MAFF

2

Special Topic 1 New Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas

New food self-sufficiency ratio targets and food self-sufficiency potential indicator
Food self-sufficiency ratio targets


The total food self-sufficiency ratio targets are
set each on a calorie basis, which evaluates thefood security situation and a production value
basis, which evaluates the situation of agricultural
economic activities.

Targets for food self-sufficiency ratio, etc.
(Unit: %)FY2018(Results)

The food self-sufficiency ratio excludes the
livestock products produced from imported feed,
however, “food domestic production ratio” targets
are set as the new targets focusing on domestic
production that do not exclude these products.
To improve the food self-sufficiency ratio, in
terms of production, efforts are made to strengthen
production/supply
systemscompatible
withchanges in domestic and overseas demand andenhance domestic agricultural production bases. In
terms of consumption, efforts are made to deepen
the connection between consumers and food andagriculture and collaboration with the food industry.

Total food self-sufficiency ratio(Calorie basis)

37

45

Total food self-sufficiency ratio(Production value basis)

66

75

Feed self-sufficiency ratio

25

34

Food domestic production ratio(Calorie basis)

46

53

Food domestic production ratio(Production value basis)

69

79

Source: MAFF

Food self-sufficiency potential indicator for FY2018
Estimated energy
requirement level
2,169

Current dietary pattern bydomestic production +importFood self-sufficiency potential indicatorTo secure food supplies in Japaneven in the case of an unforeseen
event, it is important to always keep
track of, maintain and improve the foodproduction
potentialofJapan’s
agriculture, forestry and fisheries (foodself-sufficiency potential).

Calorie supply
2,443

Domestic production
calorie 912

We can eat manydifferent foods, madein Japan or imported!
Cultivating mainly rice andwheat, domestic production
only

1,727
1,727

2,193

We can eat rice andbread, but it’s notenough...

Labor fill rate 129%

Cultivating mainly potatoes,
domestic production only







Calories of food that can be obtainedby fully utilizing Japan's potential
production capacity are presented as
the food self-sufficiency potential
indicator.
The food self-sufficiency potential
indicator is improved to also consider
agricultural labor and labor-saving
agricultural technologies in addition to
farmland and a new outlook for the
future food self-sufficiency potential
indicator (FY2030) is presented.
Based on the relationship between
the food self-sufficiency potential
indicator and farmland, yield, labor, etc.,
it is necessary to work on securing
farmland and labor, increasing yield andpromoting technological innovation.

FY2030(Targets)

Amount of calories
which could be supplied
when farmland is fully
utilized
Amount of calories which
could be supplied thatreflects the labor fill rate

2,586
2,377
Labor fill rate 92%

We can fill our stomachs,
but it gets tiring to eat
potatoes so often...

Amount of calories
which could be supplied
when both farmland andLabor fill rate 100% labor are fully utilized

2,546(kcal/person/day)

Source: MAFF

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Outlook for food self-sufficiency potential indicator for FY2030

Current dietary pattern bydomestic production +importEstimated energy requirement level
2,152
Calorie supply
2,314

Domestic production
calorie 1,031

We can eat manydifferent foods, madein Japan or imported!
Cultivating mainly rice andwheat, domestic production
only
We can eat rice andbread, but it’s notenough...

Securing
farmland(a)

When the trend in
farmland is maintained

1,628
1,826
When the trend inlabor is maintained

Improved
yield
(b)
73101

1,802
116 1,942

Labor fill rate 108%
Securing labor(c)Cultivating mainly potatoes,
domestic production only

2,414

115

2,072

133

Labor fill rate 80%
We can fill our stomachs,
but it gets tiring to eat
potatoes so often...

Securing
farmland(a)

Improvedyield(b)Amount of calories
which could be supplied
when farmland is fully
utilized
197
2,727

Amount of calories which could be
supplied that reflects the labor fill rate

2,205

Further improved labor fill rate through future innovation (d)

2,096

471

Labor fill rate 100%

Amount of calories which
could be supplied whenboth farmland and labor
are fully utilized
2,567(kcal/person/day)3

Source: MAFF

Special Topic 1 New Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas

Outlook and securing of farmland, agriculture structure outlook

Outlook for total farmland area

The outlook for the total farmland area in
2030 is estimated to be 4.14 million ha, taking
into consideration the trend and the effects ofmeasures (preventing farmland dilapidation andclearing dilapidated farmland).

The total farmland area in 2019

4.397 million ha

The total farmland area as of 2030 if the trend up to now were
to continue
3.92 million ha

For the agricultural structure outlook,establishing an agricultural structure in which
80% of the total farmland area is used bybusiness farmers will be pursued by developing
agriculture management entities ("farms”) that
aim to improve their management, regardless of
their management form such as family or
corporation, into business farmers, according tolocal circumstances.

The effects of measures (preventing farmland
dilapidation and clearing dilapidated farmland)+ 220,000 ha
The total farmland area secured as of 2030

4.14 million ha

Source: MAFF
Note: The trend refers to the case when no measures are taken.

Farms supporting the regions
Business farmers

Considering the fact that small- and mediumsized entities also support the regions together
with business farmers by continuously
producing agricultural goods, consideration will
also be given to them to continue farming.

Other various entities

Entities implementing efficient and stable
farm management

Certified farmers

Collaboration/
cooperation

Individuals
Legalpersons

Agricultural
cooperative/corp
oration productsubcommittees,
etc.

Corporations using
leased farmlands

Certified
newcomers inagriculture

Community-based
farm cooperatives○ Small- and medium-sized
entities continuously using
farmlands○ Entities running farming asa side business (“halffarmer, half-x” entities
contributing to regional
agriculture, etc.), etc.

(Private organizations)

Entities pursuing efficient and stable farmmanagement

Supporting/assisting labor, technologies, etc.

¥¥

Farm work supporters(Temporary workers, contractors, helper organizations, next-generation agricultural services enterprises, etc.)

Farm management outlookFor the farm management outlook,concrete models and examples arepresented so that various business
farmers, including farm households, canmaintain and develop regional agriculture
as it is becoming increasingly difficult tosecure farmers and labor, expecting to see
progress in the efforts for developing
small-scale farm households and business
farmers and increasing their income.

Source: MAFF

An example of a farm management model
Farming
category

Outdoor grown vegetable (eaten raw,
farmland maintenance type)

TargetregionWest of Kanto

Key point of the model
Family business attempting to save labor and improve productivity through joint use of farming equipment and outsourcing of somework in the aging family management entities
Outline of technology/projectIncrease in management cost is avoided and transplanting work time is reduced by approximately 50% by joint use of riding-type
automated transplanter.
Burden on middle management is reduced and work time sensing, pesticide spraying, etc., is reduced by approximately 25% by
outsourcing such work to be performed using drones.
Efficiency of work is improved by outsourcing some work and mechanization to resolve the issue of labor shortage associated withaging, and burden of hard labor such as transporting crops by using power assist suit.
Temporary staffing companies that cover labor for agricultural work are utilized under the situation where procuring labor from theregion is becoming difficult due to depopulation and aging.
Management development

For farm management models, laborsaving and highly productive management
models that introduced new technologies,
etc., are shown by main agriculture typeand region (total 37 models).

[Estimate results]
Gross income
Operating costs
Agricultural income[Type of management]
Family management (2 members(one of which is primary worker),
1 temporary worker)[Operation size, cropping pattern]
Cultivated land under management 1.7ha
Cabbage
1.2ha
Watermelon
0.5ha

Plowing, transplanting

Also, efforts to realize new lifestyles,
such as half-farmer, half-x and efforts tomaintain farmland and contribute toregional vitalization while maintaining
Riding-type automatedsmall but stable management are showntransplanteras examples.
Source: MAFF

12.47 million yen
6.53 million yen
5.95 million yen

4.19 million yen
Income of primary worker(/person)
1,514hrWork hours of primary worker(/person)

Cultivation management

Sensing, pesticide
spraying, etc., using a drone

Farming management(Reference) Management model
used for comparison[Type of management]
Family management (2 members,
1 temporary worker)[Operation size, cropping pattern]
Cultivated land under
1.7ha
management
Outdoor grown vegetable
1.7ha

Harvesting

Farming management system

Transporting

Power assist suit●: Commercialized by 2019

Note: The above is based on a trial calculation and may not necessarily indicate the actual situation.

4

Special
Topic 2Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers



Women farmers play an important role in agriculture and regional promotion. However, despite thelarge burden of women's farm work, housework, childrearing, etc., their work has not been
appropriately evaluated so that various efforts have been made to encourage women's participationin agricultural management and local communities.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of women farmers who are actively working as
certified farmers and those who are engaged in entrepreneurial activities, and entities with womenmanagement tended to have higher profitability.



Towards sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas, it is important to promote the further
success of women by creating an agricultural/rural environment where women can work and live
pleasantly.

History of the role of women farmers - From "life improvement" to the era of "success"After World War II, women were overworked with housework, childrearing and nursing care, in
addition to farm work. In 1948, life improvement extension services were launched to improve thestatus of women farmers and through these services, housework became more efficient with improved
stoves and kitchens.

Entering the period of rapid economic growth, the opportunities for men to do work other thanfarming expanded and women played a more central role in agricultural production while also bearing
the burden of housework, childrearing and nursing care.



From around the 1970s, farm work has become much easier due to the introduction of rice planting
machines, etc. With this, entrepreneurial activities utilizing insight and wisdom unique to women began
to rise and women participating in management by their own will also started to emerge.



In 1992, MAFF formulated its first action plan for women, Round-table Conference Report on theMedium- to Long-term Vision for Women in Rural Areas.

In 1999, the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society came into effect with the purpose of realizing asociety where every citizen is able to fully display their individuality and ability regardless of gender andacross society. In the same year, gender equality was also stipulated in the Food, Agriculture andRural Areas Basic Act.



Thereafter, various measures were promoted based on these laws, such as disseminating andraising awareness for gender equality, encouraging farming households to conclude Family Business
Agreements, supporting entrepreneurial activities and AFFrinnovation, providing training to become
certified farmers and developing next-generation leaders.
Growing empowerment of women farmers in
the agricultural workplace- Looking back on 20 years

Male-to-female ratio of the number ofcore persons mainly engaged in farming(1999 → 2019)1.08
millionwomen
46%

Over the 20 years from 1999 to 2019,the ratio of women in the core persons
mainly engaged in farming decreased
from 46% to 40%.

1.25
million
men
54%

0.56
million
women
40%

5

0.84
millionmen
60%

Source: MAFF, Survey on Movement of Agricultural Structure
Note: “Core persons mainly engaged in farming” refer to those who are mainly
engaged in self-employed agriculture as their job.

Special Topic 2 Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers
Male-to-female ratio of newcomers in agriculture(2006 → 2018)



The ratio of women newcomers inagriculture also decreased from 30% in 2006
to 24% in 2018.

25,000
women
30％

Men
56,000people70%

13,000
women
24％
Men
42,000people76%

Source: MAFF, Survey on Newcomers in Agriculture

Meanwhile, the number of certified womenfarmers increased fivefold, from 2,000 people
in 1999 to 11,000 people in 2019. The ratio of
women as certified farmers also increased
threefold over the 20 years, from 1.6% to
4.8%.
Ratio of certified women farmers

Applied by
women only

4,870

6,337

Ratio ofwomen
directors

2004

2009

5,501
5,921

2,168 people
1999

2014

services

5,572

1.6 %
3,685
81
3,604

AccommodTransport
Agricultur Constructi Manufact
Wholesal ations/eatin Medical
g andcare/welfa
ation/post
e
on
uring
e/retaildrinking
real10,371

8,791
2,454

(Unit: %)11,493

3.6

2.0

Ratio of women directors in agricultural corporations

Ratio of women
4.8
4.5

Joint application(married couples)

The ratio of women directors in agricultural
corporations was 21.8%. This was almost thesame as or slightly higher than the construction,
manufacturing,transportation/postal
andwholesale/retail industries.

2019

21.8

20.3

18.7

19.6

21.8

31.9

47.9

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on data from Japan Agricultural Corporations
Association (FY2017) and Basic Survey of Gender Equality in Employment
Management (FY2018) by MHLW
Note: The figure for agriculture was based on the data from Japan Agricultural
Corporations Association and the figures for other industries were based on the
Basic Survey of Gender Equality in Employment Management by MHLW.

Source: MAFF, Status of Certification of Plan for Improving
Agricultural Management (by Business Type)
Note: As of March 31 each year

Women play an important role in agricultural management. There is a correlation between women's
involvement in management and increasing profit in farms.
Women's involvement in farm management and improvement of profitability(Net profit increase rate (last 3 years) by women’s involvement
in management)

Owned by women or
女性が経営主又は女性を役
women are appointed as
員・管理職へ登用
officers/managers

女性は経営に関与していな
No involvement of womenin management
い(Ratio of women’s involvement in farm management by sales volume)

全体
Overall

126.6 %
71.4
percentage
point
difference

55.2

500 million５億円以上
yen or more

67.1

100 million １億円以上５億円未満- less than 500 million yen

67.4

５千万円以上１億円未満
50 million- less than 100 million yen

60.9

１千万円以上５千万円未満
10 million- less than 50 million yen

45.1

１千万円未満Less than
10 million yen

35.9

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on the 2019 July Agricultural Economic Survey(published in December 2019) by Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries andFood Business Unit, Japan Finance Corporation

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on the FY2016 First Half Agricultural Economic
Survey (published in September 2016) by Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries
and Food Business Unit, Japan Finance Corporation
Note: The survey was administered covering 21,389 borrowers of Super L Loan offered by
Japan Finance Corporation or agricultural improvement fund (recovery rate of 28.0%).

52.2 %

6

Notes: 1) The survey was administered covering 19,215 borrowers of Super L Loan offeredby Japan Finance Corporation or agricultural improvement fund (recovery rate of
28.0%).
2) The graph shows the ratio of establishments with one or more women involved inmanagement as directors or managers.

Special Topic 2
The number of businesses started by
women in rural areas also increased morethan twofold, from 4,040 in FY1997 to
9,497 in FY2016.





The number of businesses started byindividuals has been on the rise, with casesof people becoming independent from theirgroups after finding business opportunities
and starting a business from other fields.

Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers

Number of businesses started by women in rural areas
Group management

9,641

9,719

9,497

5,565

4,911

4,319

4,076

4,808

5,178

2,956
2004

2008

2012

2016

8,667
6,824
Private management

4,040 cases

5,711

5,141

3,362

When women are in charge of the
AFFrinnovation sector, their ability to pay
attention to details, handle matters withfeminine perspectives and use ideas uniqueto women are advantageous to them.

678

1,683

FY1997

2000

Source: MAFF, Survey on Entrepreneurship Activities of Women in Rural Areas<Case study> Women-only agricultural corporation empowering for women(Oita Prefecture)

Ami Hirayama from Kunisaki City, Oita Prefecture started a women-only
company in 2015 to grow lettuce in a hydroponic greenhouse.



By developing products that meet the market needs based on theirexperiences and perspectives as female consumers, their sales increased from42 million yen in FY2016 to 72 million yen in FY2018.

Ami Hirayama (second from the right in the frontrow) and everyone at Women Make Co., Ltd.

Changes in the conclusion status of Family Business
Agreements
58,182The number of households that concluded
Family Business Agreements increased morethan tenfold, from 5,335 in 1996 to 58,182 in
2019. The increase was triggered mainly due tothe joint application for the plan for improving
agricultural management and enrollment in the
farmer annuity.

50,71525,151

5,335 houses

Looking at the ratio of women among
agriculturalcommittee
members
andagricultural cooperative directors as an index of
women’s participation for formulating regional
agricultural policies, both ratios increased from
1.8% to 12.1% and 0.6% to 8.4%, respectively,
between 2000 and 2019.
Women‘s participation was supported by thefact that the target ratios of women to total
agriculturalcommittee
members
andagricultural cooperative directors were set inthe 4th Basic Plan for Gender Equality
formulated in 2015 and the revisions made to
the Act on Agricultural Commission, etc., andAgricultural Cooperatives Act in 2016 included
a provision stating that there shall be no
significant
differences
in
age
and
gender.

1996

2003

2012

2019

Source: MAFF, Survey on Family Business Agreement

Ratio of women to total agricultural committee
members and agricultural cooperative directors
11.8

12.1

8.0

8.4

10.6
Ratio of women tototal agriculturalcommittee members

7.4
4.9

4.1
1.8
0.1 ％ 0.2

0.3

0.1

0.2

0.1

3.9
1.9

7.2

8.1

7.5

7.7

Ratio of women tototal agricultural
cooperative directors

0.61985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Further efforts should be promoted.
7Source: MAFF, Status of Women’s Participation in Agricultural Committees and Statistics on
Agricultural Cooperatives
Notes: 1) Agricultural committee members: As of October 1 each year2) Agricultural cooperative directors: End of each fiscal year
The figures for FY2019 are based on data from the Central Union of Agricultural
Cooperatives (Zenchu).

Special Topic 2 Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers


While the number of agricultural highschool students is decreasing, the ratioof female students is increasing. This isdue to reasons, such as offering a wide
range of subjects related to professions
that are popular among female students,
for instance processing and sales,
instead of just learning about cultivation
technology.

Changes in gender ratio of high school students by subject(Unit: %)FY1999Men

FY2019

Women

Men

Women

General course

48.6

51.4

49.5

50.5

Agricultural course

61.4

38.6

51.1

48.9

Business course

33.8

66.2

37.2

62.8

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on the School Basic Survey by MIC



In 2016, the Nougyou-Joshi Project(Campaign for women farmers to be
more active in agricultural business bycooperation with various industries totap women farmers' knowledge andexperiences)formedtheTeam
Hagukumi which aims to add “farming”
as a career option for young women.
Through the collaboration between the
programs offered by educational
institutions, such as high schools anduniversities and the members of the
Nougyou-Joshi Project who play activeroles, initiatives that lead to theincrease of new farmers are promoted.

<Case study> A woman with no farming background taking overthe management of a Konnyaku producer (Gunma Prefecture)

In 2005, Haruna Endo became a new farmer by taking over the
management of a konnyaku producer in her husband's
hometown, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture. She also engaged in
AFFrinnovation and developed a konnyaku product (Chururin
Balls) processed into round bite-size shapes that do not require
pretreatment to remove harshness.

In addition to serving as a
special lecturer at Kamata
Women's High School, which isa partner school of the Team
Hagukumi of the Nougyou-Joshi
Project, she also contributes to
educational activities for the
next-generation,suchasaccepting internships from theprefectural farmer's academy.

Haruna Endo (second from theright) and all staff members

To achieve further empowerment - Issues surrounding women farmers and countermeasures

Creating an agricultural/rural environment
where women can work and live pleasantly

Changes in the population of women in rural areas(Unit: 10,000 people, %)2000

The population of women in rural areas has
decreased in recent years. Among them, asignificant decrease was seen in the population ofchildrearing generations (aged 25 - 44) and also
more in women than men.
In rural areas, housework and childrearing arestill recognized to be a woman’s work, placing aheavier burden on women than men. Women
workers engaged in agriculture, forestry andfisheries spent a total of 7 hours and 7 minutes per
day on work, housework and childrearing, which
was 1 hour 19 minutes longer than that of men
engaged in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Rate of change andpercentage point
difference (%)

2015

Population of women in rural
areas

1,442

1,268

-12.1

Including women aged 25 - 44

314

246

-21.7

Ratio of women in rural areas

51.8

51.8

0.0

Including women aged 25 - 44

49.8

48.5

-1.2

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on the Current Status and Trends of the WomenLabor Force in Family Farming (2018) by Policy Research Institute, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and FisheriesComparison of the time spent on work, housework andchildrearing by gender and by occupation(2016) Weekly average
348 minutes
4
19

Due to the increased demand in the medicalcare/welfare fields, there is greater competition for
securing a female labor force in rural areas. It is
important to promptly promote initiatives to createan agricultural environment where women canwork without stress.

427
8

435
22

Childrearing

173

Housework

246

Work

325

8

124

289

Men

Women

Women

(Agriculture, forestry
and fisheries)(Agriculture, forestry
and fisheries)(Other than agriculture,
forestry and fisheries)

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on the Basic Survey on Social Life by MIC

Special Topic 2

Growing Empowerment of Women Farmers

Concerns of women newcomers in agriculture (lifestyle)









健康上の不安（労働がきつい）
Health concerns (hard work)

Women newcomers in agriculture tend to haveconcerns for the hard work of farming, cultivation
technology, childrearing, etc.
To create an agricultural/rural environment
where women can work and live pleasantly, it isnecessary to change the mindset of people in rural
areas and promote the understanding of thepeople regarding women playing an active role inagriculture.
Therefore, it is necessary to promote theconclusion of Family Business Agreements thatclarify the division of roles, such as work,
housework, childrearing and nursing care, joint
application of the plan for improving agricultural
management and strengthening connections
between women farmers.

20 ％思うように休暇がとれない
Unableto take a vacation easily
子供の教育Children’s
education

17
9Source: Prepared by MAFF based the Results of the Survey on Farming Situation of
Newcomers in Agriculture (2017) by National Chamber of Agriculture/National
Consultation Center for New Farmers

Concerns of women newcomers in agriculture (management)
所得が少ないLow income

19 ％技術の未熟さInsufficient
skills
設備投資資金の不足
Lack of capital
investment funds

18
10

Source: Prepared by MAFF based the Results of the Survey on Farming Situation of
Newcomers in Agriculture (2017) by National Chamber of Agriculture/National
Consultation Center for New Farmers

Worries and concerns about balancing farming andchildbirth/childrearing/parenting (multiple answers)

It is also necessary to promote the developmentof networks that support childrearing locally,
utilization of external support services for farming,
spread of agricultural machinery that is easy for
women to work with, securing of training
opportunities
foragricultural
management,
including e-learning and improvement of theworking environment of agricultural corporations.

自身がリフレッシュする時間がとれない Unable to take personal time torefresh60 ％Unabletake a leave from work
妊娠中に仕事を休めない
during pregnancy
子供が病気のときに預かってもらえ
No one or place to take care of my
る人や場所がない
child when he/she is sick

43
30

Source: MAFF, FY2019 Questionnaire Survey on Promotion of Women’s Active
Participation (Survey conducted in August 2019)<Case study> Sharing farm work and childrearing by concluding a Family
Business Agreement (Mie Prefecture)Keisuke Minami and his wife Emi in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, started farming as a couple
in 2006 to produce strawberries. Around the time when their business was picking up,
they concluded the Family Business Agreement considering the birth of their child andrecommendation made by the extension advisor.

Concluding the agreement created an environment where they can always consult witheach other and make decisions together. They now share the childrearing responsibilities
and are building a business with an improved working environment, such as setting days
off according to the lifestyle of their children, so that the entire family can live happily.

<Case study> Countryside heroines who have achieved
generational change (Kumamoto Prefecture)

Reflecting women’s opinions in theformulation of regional agriculture policies


The Minami family

Towards the sustainable development ofagriculture and rural areas, it is important to reflect
the voices of women who have various perspectives
as ordinary citizens, consumers and also farmers in
the formulation of regional agriculture policies.
Therefore, it is necessary to promote thedevelopment of women farmers who will take thelead in regional agriculture, development of
networks with consumers, etc., and participation of
women in local discussions on people and farmland
plans.



Inakano Heroine Wakuwaku Network founded in 1994
has been engaged in providing an urban-rural network
focused on women farmers and manufacturing ofprocessed products, but found itself at the risk of
dissolution due to the aging of its members. To address
the issue, the first director, Yoko Yamazaki, proposed a
generational change.

After changing its name to Heroines for Environment
and Rural Support (HERS) in 2014, they made a newstart under the new director, Eri Otsu, from Kumamoto
Prefecture and active young women farmers under aged
40 as executives. Their efforts include disseminating
information and accepting farm trainees to resolve theshortage of successors in farming.

Director Eri Otsu (seventh from the left) and all members of HERS

9

Topic１

Food, Agriculture, Rural Areas and SDGs (Sustainable
Development Goals)

The SDGs, international development goals to be achieved by the year 2030, were adopted at the 2015 United
Nations Summit.

Agricultural sector and food industries are based on natural resources and the environment so that theiractivities may bring the new possibility of growth by guiding consumer behavior and investment from othersectors while taking initiatives to contribute to achieving SDGs.



Various activities are promoted by the public and private sectors based on the implementation guidelines. To
disseminate sustainable production and consumption patterns, MAFF has established a Study Group for
Sustainable Production and Consumption Patterns and published an interim report in March 2020.

From MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) to SDGs


The MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) were adopted at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000.
MDGs are aimed at solving various issues in developing countries and have 8 goals regarding poverty, gender,etc.



In 2015, under the basic principle of “leaving no one behind”, SDGs were adopted as the goals that are
universal to all countries including developed countries. SDGs consist of 17 goals and 169 targets.

Promotion of the implementation of SDGs throughthe public and private sectors


In December 2016, the SDGs Implementation
Guiding Principles of Japan were decided. SDGs werereconstructed to eight issues that Japan needs toparticularly focus on.

In December 2019, the SDGs Implementation
Guiding Principles was revised, which identified thenext generation of youth as a key player to achievegoals and set a policy to strengthen awareness andeducation.

<Column> Discussions on the SDGs held at theG20 Niigata Agriculture Ministers' MeetingIn May 2019, the G20 Niigata Agriculture
Ministers' Declaration 2019 was adopted, whichstated all countries should make active efforts torealize the SDGs.

At the G20 Niigata Agriculture Ministers' Meeting

Efforts in the food, agriculture and rural areas
In the fields of food, agriculture and rural areas, it is necessary to actively promote environmentally friendly
production activities and also promote sustainable consumption and sustainable community development.
Therefore, measures to support these efforts are developed.

NPOs, private companies, consumers, local governments, cooperatives, etc., are also important partners
for implementing the SDGs.

<Column> Efforts of SDGs that start from rural areas
Among the 17 goals of the SDGs, those that are closely related to“environment” are the base of other goals.
Also, efforts using various "technologies" are ongoing to maintain andcirculate the "environment" in an economically sustainable way.

 From the perspectives of "environment", "technology" and "business model",leaflets are created to promote the efforts in rural areas for the SDGs.

10

Topic 1 Food, Agriculture, Rural Areas and SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)(1) Realization of gender equality and a society where every
person can play an active role and gender equalityPromote shokuiku (food and nutrition education), such as the “Japanese
dietary pattern” to achieve a healthy dietary pattern and support thefoundation of a society where every person can play an active role.

Promote environmental improvements, such as providing advanced
cases and support measures for improving food access, etc.
Children’s cafeteria, “Dandan”(2) Achievement of good health and longevityWhile the number of starving people in the world is growing, support the global expansion of nutrition
improvement business of domestic food business operators, etc., to solve the problems of malnutrition
in developing countries, etc.

(3) Creating growth markets, revitalizationof rural areas, and promoting science
technology and innovation

Launch the Smart Agriculture Demonstration Project to accelerate thenationwide deployment of smart agriculture utilizing advanced technologies,
such as robots, AI and IoT.



Towards the transformation of agriculture to a growth industry, promote full
utilization of paddy fields and infrastructure development for creation ofmultipurpose paddy fields and upland fields to support conversion to highly
profitable crops, etc.

Promote the securing and developing of newcomers in agriculture as thehuman resources that will lead the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries.



To improve the safety of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products andfoods, conduct surveys on the actual conditions of hazardous chemical
substances and microorganisms and studies to obtain scientific knowledge.

To revitalize regions including rural areas, promote the development ofregional systems that can implement countryside stays as a business andefforts for agriculture-welfare collaboration.

Autonomous multifunctional robot

Countryside stay

<Case study> Cultivation of wine grapes in consideration of biodiversity (Nagano Prefecture)
Mercian Corporation has developed 29 ha of wine vineyards byusing idle farmland in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture since 2003.


Hedge-grown and vegetative vineyards have formed a vast
grassland body and after an investigation, 168 species of insects
including those that are rare, such as Benimonmadara (Zygaena
niphona), and 258 species of plants were found to be inhabiting thevineyards.

Working collaboratively with NPOs and volunteers, they are also
engaged in activities to restore vegetation around the vineyards.
11

Hedge-grown and vegetative vineyards

Topic 1 Food, Agriculture, Rural Areas and SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)(4) Sustainable and resilient land use, promoting quality
infrastructure

Farmland and irrigation water are the basic resources for agricultural production. Promote farmland
consolidation and intensification for business farmers, expansion of farmland partitions to secure andeffectively use these resources.



In preparation for natural disasters that are becoming more frequent and severe, promote disasterprevention/reduction measures in rural areas that appropriately combine tangible measures, such asenhancing structural longevity and seismic resistance of agricultural irrigation facilities and intangible
measures, such as creation of hazard maps, etc.

(5) Energy conservation and renewable energy,
disaster risk reduction and climate change
countermeasures, sound material-cycle society
Promote the introduction of renewable energy that is in harmony with
agriculture, forestry and fisheries, such as farming-photovoltaics andbiomass power generation utilizing resources in rural areas.

Implement the assessment of the impact of climate change in the
agriculture, forestry and fisheries fields and development of technologies
to mitigate climate change, such as greenhouse gas reduction.

To reduce food loss and waste, review business practices such as
easing the delivery date requirements, promote sales such as meetingthe demand for seasonal products, etc.

Cultivating peanuts under the solar panels(6) Conservation of biodiversity, forests, and oceans, andother environments

To promote sustainable agriculture, accelerate environmentallyfriendly agriculture, such as organic farming.

To promote conservation of genetic resources, implement
international cooperation activities, such as collection andpreservation of overseas plant genetic resources.



As the measures to address marine plastic waste, promote proper
treatment and emission control of plastic containers and packaging
for food and agricultural plastic waste, etc.

Biodegradable mulches(7) Means and frameworks for the implementation of the SDGs


Support developing countries in building their food value chains bydispatching Japan’s private-public missions to these countries and utilizing
frameworks, such as bilateral policy dialog with these countries, etc.
A local farmer
holding harvested cabbages

To spread sustainable production and consumption patterns


In November 2019, MAFF established a Study Group for Sustainable Production and Consumption
Patterns and published an interim report in March 2020, which contained the establishment of a
Sustainability Day and giving awards. Going forward, voluntary efforts by businesses and collaboration
between businesses will be promoted by building a network of businesses, etc.
12Topic２Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement

 Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement entered into force in January 2020.
 Japan’s tariff concessions are within the range of the past Economic Partnership Agreement
including TPP (e.g., rice is excluded from tariff reductions). Achievements for export include
the significant expansion of the low-tariff rate quota on beef.
 To take advantage of export market expansion, thorough measures to strengthen the
production base of Japan‘s agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries and to promote thedevelopment of new markets are being implemented.

Overview of negotiations


Negotiations for the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement started in April 2019, reached an agreement at
the Japan-U.S. summit on September 25 and the two nations signed the Agreement on October 7.

Agreement details
Agreement details on major items(imports from the U.S.) (excerpt)

Provisions related to Japan’s tariffsRice (rice in the husk, brown rice, milled
rice, broken rice) as well as ricepreparations are excluded from tariff
reductions/eliminations.
No new U.S.-specific quotas are
accepted for items that are set with TPPwide tariff rate quotas set in the TPP, suchas skimmed milk powder and butter.
Tariff reduction on beef imports is thesame as in the TPP and the safeguard
trigger level in FY2020 is set at a lower
level than the actual import level from the
U.S. in FY2018.

Items
Rice

- Rice and rice preparations are excluded from tariff
reductions/eliminations. (also no U.S.-specific quota isestablished)

Wheat- Markup is reduced by 45% as with TPP (maintain the current
state trading system, out of quota tariff (55 yen/kg)).
- U.S.-specific quota is established as with TPP.

Barley- Markup is reduced by 45% as with the TPP (maintain thecurrent state trading system, out of quota tariff (39 yen/kg)).
- No U.S.-specific quota is established.

Beef- Tariff on beef will be reduced to 9% with the same details as
specified in the TPP and a long-term tariff reduction period isensured with a safeguard.
- The safeguard trigger level for FY2020 is 242,000 t. Thereafter,
the level will be gradually expanded in the same way as specified
in the TPP, rising to 293,000 t in FY2033.
- From FY2023 onwards, if the TPP11 Agreement is revised,discussions will be made to shift to the TPP overall trigger level
including imports from the U.S. and TPP11 signatory countries.

Pork- With the same details as specified in the TPP, tariff on the advalorem duty portion will be eliminated and tariff on the specificduty portion will be reduced to 50 yen/kg. The gate-price system
and its gateprice (524 yen/kg) are maintained and a long-term
tariff reduction period is ensured with a safeguard.
- The safeguard for the ad valorem duty portion is the TPP
overall trigger level including imports from the U.S. and TPP11
signatory countries. The level will be 90,000 t in FY2022 andthereafter, it will be gradually expanded in the same way as
specified in the TPP, rising to 150,000 t in FY2027.

Provisions related to the U.S. tariffs
Regarding beef, access to a low-tariff
rate quota of 65,005 t is secured, which
was the sum of the previous quota of 200 t
for Japan and 64,805 t for other countries.



Tariffreductions/eliminationsareacquired for items that Japan has special
interests to export (soy sauce, Japaneseyams, cut flowers, persimmons, etc.).

Agreement details

Skimmed milk
powder/butter- No new U.S.-specific quota is established.

Whey- With the same details as specified in the TPP, a long-term tariffelimination period with a safeguard is ensured for whey (protein
content of 25 - 45%, less than 25%), which is likely to competewith skimmed milk powder.

Cheese- Same details as specified in the TPP- No U.S.-specific quota is established for fresh cheese used forthe ingredient for shredded cheese.

Source: MAFF

13

Topic 2

Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement

Effect of the AgreementJapan-U.S. Trade Agreement came into effect onJanuary 1, 2020.

This consequently created a trade zone with apopulation of 450 million and a GDP of 25.5 trillion
dollars, which is equivalent to 30% of the total worldGDP.

The share of Japan and the U.S. in the world
population and GDP (2018)(GDP)
Japan 5.8%

(Population)
Japan 1.7%
U.S. 4.3
EU 6.7

According to the Economic Impact Analysis by the
Cabinet Secretariat, it is expected that the effect of
the Japan-US Trade Agreement will push up the real
GDP growth in Japan by about 0.8% (about 4 trillionyen), which will also increase labor supply by about
0.4% (about 280,000 people).

China
18.5
Others68.8

Others
32.6

China
15.9

U.S.
U.S.
23.9
23.9

EU
21.9

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Revision of the Comprehensive TPP-related Policy Principles


The conclusion of the Japan-U.S. Trade
Agreement following the entry into force of
TPP11 and the Japan-EU EPA has put
Japan in a new international environment.

The government provided a detailed
explanation and information to the people
and also revised the Comprehensive TPPrelated Policy Principles in December 2019.



The revised Principles included that MAFF
will give consideration to motivated farmers,
forestry and fishery workers who candemonstrate their creativity and originality to
the fullest regardless of the size of theirbusiness and the type of environment they
are in, such as hilly and mountainous areas;
comprehensively promote the strengtheningof production infrastructure that aims toincrease the production/number of beef anddairy cattle farmed; establish a headquarters
for exports.

In the supplementary budget for FY2019,325
billionyen
wassecuredforcompetitiveness enhancement measures
based on the revised Principles.

In December 2019, MAFF published theestimated effects of the Japan-U.S. Trade
Agreement on agriculture, forestry andfisheries production. MAFF estimatedagriculture, forestry and fisheries production
to decline by about 60 billion to 110 billion
yen and about 120 billion to 200 billion yen
when combining the effects of TPP11. MAFF
expected that, while the production value
would fall due to price drops accompanying
tariff reductions, domestic measures would
be taken to secure production and farmhousehold income, with production volume
being maintained.

Overview of the Comprehensive TPP-related
Policy Principles
1. Building strong agriculture, forestry and fisheries(competitiveness enhancement measures)
Since the Principles were set out, various
competitiveness enhancement measures have been
implemented.
○Nurturing business farmers who have an excellent businesssense and who will be responsible for the next generation
Supporting a wide range of generations to be engaged infarming, expansion of farmland partitions/developing
multipurpose farmland, measures for rice terrace/hilly andmountainous areas○Exploring demand frontiers including the export of high-quality
agricultural, forestry and fisheries products
Establishment of a command tower for exports, creation of global
production area
○Promoting the innovation of internationally competitive production
sites
The crop production base enhancement project, smart agriculture
demonstration, nationwide land development○Promoting comprehensive projects to enhance the profitability oflivestock and dairy farming
Stockbreeding cluster project, expansion of grassland partitions
to support this, measures to increase the herd/production of beef
cattle and dairy farm management○Enhancing the international competitiveness of wood products
including plywood, lumber and structural laminated wood
○Switching to sustainable, highly profitable business arrangements

2. Preparations for stable business and supply(related to five major products)
To secure business stability after the effect of the
TPP, etc., the government will expand businessstabilization measures upon the effect.
○Rice (revising the management of public rice reserves)○Wheat/barley (implementing business income stabilization
measures steadily)○Beef/pork, dairy products (enhancing livestock and dairy
farming stability measures)○Sweetening resource crops (making sweetened preparedproducts subject to adjustment money collection)

3. Promotion of intellectual property protection○ Geographical Indication (GI)
○ Protection of new varieties of plants/Japanese beef cattle
genetic resources

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on data from the Japanese Government's
TPP Headquarters, Cabinet Secretariat

14

Chapter 1

Securing Stable Food Supply

1. Food self-sufficiency ratio and food self-sufficiency potential
In FY2018, due to the decrease in the
production of wheat, etc., caused by adverse
weather conditions, the food self-sufficiency ratio
on a calorie basis decreased by 1 percentage
point from the previous year to 37%, the lowest
ever recorded. On a production value basis, theratio stayed the same as the previous year at66%.

The food self-sufficiency potential indicator,
which shows potential food production capacity,slipped below the estimated energy requirementlevel in rice/wheat-oriented cultivation andexceeded the levels in potato-oriented cultivation.
Total food self-sufficiency ratio

86%



82

72

71
66

53 Production value basis

73%

40

Calorie basis

37

37
1985

FY19651993

2018(estimate)2003

Source: MAFF, Food Balance Sheet

Changes in food self-sufficiency potential
indicator

3,141 kcal/person/day

To improve the food self-sufficiency ratio, it isnecessary to strengthen the production base bypromotingfarmlandconsolidation
andintensification for business farmers and recruiting
new farmers, and promote consumption
expansion, etc., of domestic agricultural products
to consumers.

Cultivation on dilapidated
farmland available for restoration

2,877

Mainly cultivates potatoes

2,546

2,730

2,500
Estimated energy requirement level

2,056

2,169

2,020

Mainly cultivates rice and wheat

1,727

1,773

1985

FY1965

1,691

2018

2005

Source: Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas (decided in March 2020 by
the Cabinet)

2. Strategic exploration of global market
Promoting the export of agricultural, forestry andfisheries products and foods


Export of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and foods
906.8

912.1

807.1

Although falling short of its target of 1 trillion yen,Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fisheries products
550.5
and food exports in 2019 was 912.1 billion yen,449.7 billion yen
making a record high for seven consecutive years.
Particularly, beef exports rose significantly due to Fishery products→
the increased popularity of Japanese beef cattle, Forestry products→
etc.

745.1

←287.3

750.2

611.7

←37.0

←587.8Agricultural products→







Based on the Act on Promotion of Exports ofAgricultural, Forestry, Fishery and Food Products,
the Headquarters for the Export of Agricultural,
Forestry and Fishery Products and Food wasestablished in April 2020 as a command tower forexport promotion.
At the end of FY2019, 2,801 companies had
been registered to GFP, a community site opened
for producers with export ambitions to exchange
and share opinions with other producers and holdnegotiations. Also, 29 production areas approved
the GFP Global Production Plan that meets
overseas needs and regulations.
Due to the progress of the animal and plantquarantine talks, 6 countries/regions lifted theirbans or relaxed their quarantine requirements on 8
export items in FY2019, such as Thailand lifting its
ban on Japanese pork exports.

2018
2013
2014
2015
2017
2016
2012
Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Trade Statistics by MOF

2019Developing a system for expanding the export of agricultural,
forestry and fisheries products and foods
Headquarters for the Export of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery
Products and Food (established in MAFF)
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Chiefof Headquarters)
Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare,
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, etc.
Formulation of basic policies- Discussions with export destination countries- Export facilitation measures (certificate issuance, facility certification, etc.)- Support for business operators, etc.
Implementation plan (process chart) preparation/progress
management- Acceleration of certification of meat processing facilities, etc.
- Integrated implementation of discussions with export destination countries, etc.

Export facilitation measuresCompetent ministers(MAFF, MHLW, MOF)

Support for business operators

Prefectures, etc.
Certification of export
business plan

- Export certificate issuance

Minister of
MAFF- Production area designation- Processing facility certification- Certification by private registered certification bodies
is also allowed

15 Source: MAFF

Further expansion of exports

Business
operators

Support- Low interest
loan, debt
guarantee, etc.
from Japan
Finance
Corporation

Chapter 1 Securing Stable Food Supply
Promotion of Japanese food/food culture overseas


Number of overseas Japanese food restaurants
In 2019, the number of overseas Japanesefood restaurants reached about 156.2 thousand,an almost threefold increase from 2013.

Central andSouth America
Europe117.5

North America
Asia





As of the end of FY2018, a total of 5,341
entities have acquired GAP certification for
agricultural products, an initiative in which
farmers check and improve their production
process.
For the mandatory implementation of HACCP
scheduled in 2021, creating a manual for
introducing sanitary control in line with HACCP
and other necessary preparations were
supported. As for the Japan-originated JFS(Japan Food Safety) certification, the number ofcertified establishments increased to 845 as ofthe end of FY2019.

12.2
29.4

At the end of FY2019, a total of 4,776 stores
have been recognized as Japanese Food andIngredient Supporter Stores Overseas thatproactively use food products made in Japan, atotal of 1,375 foreign chefs have obtained
Certification of Cooking Skills for JapaneseCuisine in Foreign Countries and a total of 109
persons have been recognized as JapaneseCuisine Goodwill Ambassadors, who effectively
disseminate the appeal of Japanese food anddietary culture in Japan and abroad.

12.2

88.7

54.7
thousandstores

25.3

10.6
25.1

101.0

5.5
17.0

69.3
45.3

27.0

2013
Source: MAFF

Utilizing standards and certification


Others 156.2

2015

2017

2019

Number of GAP-certified entities (agricultural products)
GLOBALG.A.P.

Japan’s
total

699

ASIAGAP

JGAP

1,869

2,773

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on data published by the GAP Fukyu
Suishin Kiko and the Japan GAP Foundation
Note: As of the end of FY2018

Products registered under the GI protection system in FY2019

Tokyo Shamo(Tokyo Metropolis)

Sayo Mochidaizu(Hyogo Prefecture)

Iburigakko(Akita Prefecture)

Tsunan no Yukishita
Daiei Suika(Tottori Prefecture) (NiigataNinjin
Prefecture)

Zentsujisan
Shikakusuika(Kagawa Prefecture)

Hiba Gyu(Hiroshima
Prefecture)Toyoshima Tachiuo(Hiroshima
Prefecture)

Ibuki Soba
(Shiga Prefecture)

Imakane Danshaku(Hokkaido)

Ono Asari(Hiroshima
Prefecture)

Owanionsen
Moyashi(Aomori Prefecture)

Sanbe Soba
(Shimane
Prefecture)

Yatsushiro Tokusan
Banpeiyu(KumamotoPrefecture)

Yatsushiro Shoga(KumamotoPrefecture)

Protection of intellectual property

Based on the GI (Geographical Indications)protection system, which protects locally uniqueproduct names as intellectual property, 19 new
products were registered in FY2019, resulting ina total of 94 products, as of the end of FY2019.
A working group on the protection of newplant varieties was held to examine measures tocontrol protected varieties to be exported
without authorization by the right holder. A
revision bill for the Plant Variety Protection and
Seed Act was submitted to the Diet.

Higashiizumo no
GindachiMaruhata Hoshigaki Tanoura(Kumamoto(Shimane
Prefecture)
Prefecture)

Hiyama Haishen(Hokkaido)

Otake Ichijiku(Akita Prefecture)

Source: MAFF

A study group on distribution management of
the Japanese beef cattle genetic resources wasestablished to examine measures to strengthen
the production of the value of the Japanese beef
cattle genetic resources as intellectual property.
A revision bill for the Act for Improvement andIncreased Production of Livestock for ensuring
proper marketing of semen and fertilized ova forlivestock artificial insemination and a bill toprevent unfair competition of livestock genetic
resources for requesting an injunction against
unfair competition of livestock genetic resourceswere submitted to the Diet.

An example of the protected variety to be exported without consent
or authorization by right holder

Outflow of
seedling

Products exported
to ASEAN
countries

Chinese Shine Muscat(Thailand market)

Japanese Shine Muscat(Japanese market)
Chinese Shine Muscat(Chinese market)

16 Source: MAFF

Korean Shine Muscat(Thailand market)

Chapter 1 Securing Stable Food Supply
3. Global food supply and demand, and efforts for establishing food security
Global food supply/demand trendsGlobal grain production, consumption, term-end
inventory rate

Global grain production increased for thesecond straight year mainly due to a yield
increase, while global grain consumption
increased due to population and income growth,
etc.

2.67
2.52

Production
2.46
2.24

In 2019, the global population was 7.71 billion,
which is expected to rise to 9.74 billion in 2050.
Uncertainties, such as climate change, arepresent in the production of agricultural products.

2.67

Term-end inventory rate
2.03

30.3%

1.87 billion t

2.21

Consumption

2.02
19.4 %

20.2 %

2005/06

2010/1129.8%

30.0 %

1.85 billion t

Establishing comprehensive food security
2000/01



It is necessary to secure a stable food supply
based on increasing domestic agricultural
production in combination with imports andstockpiles.

Imports of agricultural, forestry and fisheries
products and foods are on an upward trend due to arise in import prices owing to a weaker yen. Asidefrom price fluctuations, they are on a long-term
declining trend. This is due to the decreasing total
amount of calories supplied based on the total
population.



2015/162019/20

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on PS&D and World Agricultural Supply
and Demand Estimates by the United States Department ofAgriculture
Note: As of March 2020

Net imports of agricultural, forestry and fisheries
products and foods(Trillion yen)(Trillion kcal)

14
12

Net imports of agricultural, forestry andfisheries products and foods
10.0
trillion yen

9.8

10

In 2019, corn imports were 384.1 billion yen, a
3.2% increase from the previous year and beef
imports were 385.1 billion yen, a 0.1% increase
from the previous year. On the other hand, wheat
imports were 160.6 billion yen, a 11.3% decrease
from the previous year and soybean imports were167.3 billion yen, a 1.6% decrease from theprevious year.

100

8.5

80

9.0

8.4

8

60
Total calorie supply - Total domestic
calorie supply (right axis)

6

40

4
2

20

0

0

2003
2003

1998
1998年

To secure stable supply of major agricultural
products dependent on imports from overseas,
efforts are made to maintain/strengthen positive
relations with export countries and collect related
information.

2008
2008

2013
2013

2018
2018

Source: MAFF

Agricultural products trade negotiations, maintaining/strengthening international relations


As of the end of FY2019, Japan had put into
effect or signed a total of 18 EPA/FTAs.
Regional
Comprehensive
EconomicPartnership (RCEP), etc. are still undernegotiation.

Status of EPA/FTA negotiations in Japan

TPP12

ＥＵ

Mongolia

Switzerland

China

Turkey

ＧＣＣ

Taking advantage of the G20 Niigata
Agriculture Ministers' Meeting held in May
2019, bilateral talks were held. Requested
elimination/relaxation of import restrictions.

TPP11

Japan-ChinaROK

ROK

Japan

Laos

VietnamCanadaUSA

India
MyanmarThailandPhilippines

Cambodia
Indonesia

MexicoColombia

Malaysia
BruneiSingaporePeru
In force

ASEAN
Australia

ＲＣＥＰ

Source: MAFF

17

SignedNZ

Under
negotiation

ChileChapter 1

Securing Stable Food Supply

4. Food consumption trends and promotion of shokuiku (food and nutrition education)
Food consumption trends

Food preferences of consumers by age (January 2020)

70

By age, consumers preferring “healthy”,“handmade” and “domestically produced” foodtended to increase as the age increased. Those
preferring “convenient”, “economical” and “Gourmet”
food tended to increase as the age decreased.

50

Promotion of shokuiku andprotection/transmission of Japanese food culture0

Various shokuiku activities are promoted,
such as providing support for cooking lessons
and shokuiku classes for practicing a healthy
and nutritionally balanced Japanese dietary
patternandoffering
opportunities
foragricultural, forestry and fishery activities toincrease consumer understanding and interestin food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries inJapan.



While about half of the total population in
Japan pass on Japanese food culture to thenext generation, initiatives have started tocreate a database of the history and recipes of
local cuisines in each region and disseminate
theinformation
topromotetheprotection/transmission of Japanese foodculture.



The Basic Act for the Promotion of Culture
and the Arts was revised in 2017 and “foodculture” was clearly stated. In 2018, the Personof Cultural Merit award was given to the “foodculture” category for the first time in 30 years.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs has started
further study to evaluate and visualize the valueof Japanese food culture as a cultural property.

%
60

20s

70

50
40
30

Healthy

Convenient

Economical

Handmade

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Japan Finance Corporation, Survey on
Consumer Trends

Local cuisines selected by each region<Column> Certification system for healthy andnutritional meal patterns

Establishment of
the “Healthy meal andhealthy foodenvironment”
certification system(common name:
Smart Meal) As of
December 2019,
Smart Meals areoffered by 304
companies and over
16,000 stores.

Standards of “Smart Meal”

6

Energy equivalent is either 450-650 kcal per meal (Chanto (=adequate) diet) or 650-850 kcal per meal (Shikkari (= ample) diet).
As a guide, the basic combination of dishes is (1) Staple food +Main dish + Side dish or (2) Staple food + Supplementary food(main dish, side dish).
The PFC (protein-fat-carbohydrate) balance is within the range ofthe energy-providing nutrient balance for persons aged 18 years orolder (PFC%E; proteins 13-20%E, fats 20-30%E, carbohydrates
50-65%E) provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese(2015).
The weight of vegetables, etc. (vegetables, mushrooms,
seaweeds, potatoes) is at least 140 g.
Salt equivalent is less than 3.0 g for the Chanto diet and less than
3.5 g for the Shikkari diet.
No standards are specified for milk, dairy products and fruits, but it
is desirable to include them as appropriate.

7

Do not use food or ingredients for specified health uses.

1
2

3
4
5

5. Ensuring food safety and consumers’ confidence

Based on scientific evidence, MAFF develops
and disseminates measures for preventing or
reducing contamination in food at necessary
stages throughout the food chain fromproduction to consumption.

Outline of the Act for Partial Revision to the Fertilizer
Regulation Act

The Act for Partial Revision to the Fertilizer
Regulation Act promulgated in December 2019requires measures, such as introduction of a
raw materials control system, to be taken fromthe perspective of safer use of fertilizer.

- Clarify that can be used for fertilizer by establishing standards, etc.

Key points of the revision
1. Introduction of a fertilizer raw materials control system

2. Review of regulations on fertilizer mixture- It allows the production of fertilizers mixed with normal andspecial fertilizers and creates an environment where it is easy towork on labor saving and activities for soil improvement by
simultaneous application.

A procedure for handling agricultural, forestry
and marine products and foods obtained byusing genome editing technology has been
established, which requires business operators,
etc., to notify the relevant ministry prior to using
such products. Then, the relevant ministry
confirms the notification and publishes theinformation of the notified product..

3. Development of fertilizer labeling standards- In addition to the labeling for composition, etc., establish
standards also for the labeling for the effect of fertilizer, etc.
4. Change of the title of the Act- The title of the Act was revised to Act on the Quality Control of
Fertilizer.

18

Source: MAFF

Chapter 1

Securing Stable Food Supply

6. Animal and plant quarantine


The CSF (Classical Swine Fever) outbreak,which occurred in Japan in September 2018 forthe first time in 26 years, has spread. As of theend of March 2020, 58 cases have occurred atfarms in 8 prefectures.

CSF outbreak locations

NiigataToyamaIn addition to guidance on compliance with theStandards of Rearing Hygiene Management
provided to farms, a new quarantine guideline was
implemented in October 2019, which allowed
giving prophylactic vaccinations to domestic pigs.
Measures implemented to address the problem ofwild boars, which are considered one of thetransmission routes, include increasing thecapture rate and establishment of a “vaccinationbelt” by spraying oral vaccines.
In August 2018, ASF (African swine fever)occurred in China and spread to other Asian
countries. ASF has no cure or prevention so thatits spread can be a threat to the stable supply of
livestock products. Therefore, strict border control
has been implemented to prevent the entry of thevirus in Japan. The Act on Domestic Animal
Infectious Diseases Control revised in February2020 allows for pre-emptive culling when an ASF
outbreak occurs in Japan.

Ishikawa
Tochigi

Fukui

Gunma

Gifu
NaganoIbaraki
Saitama

Kyoto

Shiga

Tokyo

Yamanashi

Chiba

Kanagawa
Shizuoka

Osaka
Nara

Mie

Wakayama

Source: MAFF
Notes: 1) As of the end of March 2020
2) Yellow areas are the prefectures with CSF infected domestic pigs or boars.
Shaded areas are the prefectures with CSF infected wild boars.
3) The numbers are the farms with CSF infected pigs. Katakana letters are thefarms, etc., whose animals are killed determining that they are suspectedanimals due to the movement of pigs from the affected farm.

ASF outbreak locations= Countries/regions with outbreak reported to OIE,
etc. after 2005

In order to enhance measures against infectionofwild
animals,
ensurethethoroughimplementation of rearing management at farms
and strengthen import and export quarantine of
livestock products, a bill to partially revise the Act
on Domestic Animal Infectious Diseases Control
was submitted to the Diet, which passed in March
2020.



To prevent the entry/spread of plant diseases
and pests in Japan, quarantine inspections onimported plants and emergency control of theentered pests have been implemented.

Source: MAFF (as of the end of March 2020)

7. Trends of food industry


Changes in food industry’s domestic
production value
In 2018, the food industry’s domestic production
value was 99.9 trillion yen, a 0.6 trillion yen increase
from the previous year.

Eating anddrinking
services

Compared to the previous year, the factory
shipment value of seafoods, prepared foods, etc.,
increased in the food manufacturing industry, marginvalue of wholesale business increased in the
distribution industry and sales of restaurants
increased in eating and drinking services.

Distribution
industry
Food manufacturingindustry19

99.3 trillion yen

99.9

Comparison
from theprevious year

29.0

29.2

+0.8%

32.4

32.5

+0.5%

37.9

38.1

+0.4%

2017

2018
(estimate)

Source: MAFF, Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Food
Related Industries

Chapter 1Securing Stable Food Supply

Food manufacturing is facing problems of a labor
shortage and securing human resources. In July
2019, Vision for Tackling the Labor Shortage
Problem in the Food Manufacturing Industry wascompiled.

Vision for tackling the labor shortage problem in thefood manufacturing industry

Direction of future measures (key points)(1) Increase the motivation of employees.







(2) Improve productivity by introducing IT/mechanical equipment.

Japan’s food loss and waste is 6.12 million t per
year. In October 2019, the Food Loss Reduction
Promotion Act was entered into force, stipulating the
responsibilities of the national government, local
governments and business operators, the roles ofconsumers, etc. Also, in the basic policy of the Food
Waste Recycling Law, a target to reduce the amountof business-related food loss and waste to half has
been set.

(3) Utilize diverse human resources.
Source: MAFF

Amounts and locations of food loss and waste(FY2017 estimation)
Food wholesaleindustry
0.16 million t(2.6%)

Food retailindustry
0.64 million t(10.5%)

Reviewing business practices is promoted, suchas posting consumer enlightenment posters to
reduce food loss and waste, easing the delivery
date requirements by food retailers and displaying
the expiry date in the year/month format by food
manufacturers.

Food
manufacturingindustry
1.21 million t(19.8%)In May 2019, the government formulated the
National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Litter and the
Plastic Resource Recycling Strategy. The
agriculture, forestry and fisheries and foodindustries have taken several measures, such as
reducing volume by using thinner and lighter
containers and packaging, and conducting researchand development on easily recyclable materials andproducts.

Generalhouseholdconsumption
2.84 million t(46.4%)

Food loss andwaste
6.12 million t

Eating anddrinking services
1.27 million t(20.8%)
Source: MAFF

8. Creation of new values through production, processing and distribution stages
Total annual sales related to agricultural production







Total sales from agricultural production-related
initiatives, such as processing and farmers’markets, in FY2018 were 2,104 billion yen,equivalent to the previous year.
According to a survey of business operators
whose integrated business plans have been
approved under the Act on Promotion of the "Sixth
Industry" to Create New Value Added Using
Agricultural Products In Rural Areas, nearly 80%
of business operators saw increased sales but halfof them saw decreased net profit. The main
factors were an increase in the labor anddepreciation costs associated with starting thebusiness and an increase in expenses due tosoaring prices of materials, etc.

(100 million yen)

Agricultural Farmer’s markets
Othersprocessing
20,275
18,672
19,68018,175 billion yen
811
784
739
742

21,044842

21,040
848

9,356

9,974

10,324

10,79010,789

9,026

8,407

8,577

8,923

9,141

9,413

9,404

FY2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Source: MAFF, Comprehensive Survey on AFFrinnovation

Sales and net profit of approved business operators
23%
decreasein sales49%
increase

To improve management, measures, such as
the development of a support system by financial
planners, are promoted.

51%
decrease

Including net profit

20
Source: MAFF

77%
increasein salesChapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

1. Trends of agricultural output, agricultural production income, etc.
Total agricultural output
11.5
9.1

16.8%

22.5

33.5%

27.8

8.1

8.4

9.3 9.1

26.9

Livestock

31.4

35.2 35.5

23.2

Vegetables

25.4

Rice

27.7
19.1

17.1

19.2

2010

2014

2018

26.8 25.6

2000

2010

2000

1990

1984

Others

Source: MAFF, Statistics of Agricultural Income Produced

2017

27.2

Fruits

2014

28.1%

1990

Total agricultural output increased forthe third straight year since 2015 due todemand-based production, etc., but the
total agricultural output in 2018 was 9.1
trillion yen, a 2.4% decrease from theprevious year due to the lower prices ofvegetables, pork, hen eggs, etc.,
following the increase in production
volume.

1984



11.7
(Trillion yen)Management conditions per entity (Unit: ha, 10,000 yen)
2014

Agricultural income per entity in 2018
increased from the previous year ingreenhouse grown vegetable farming
and fruit farming, but it decreased inpaddy field farming, dairy farming andfattening cattle farming.

Paddy field farming’s aggregate
Paddy field planted area of crop
farming
Agricultural income
Paddy field farming’s aggregate
20ha or planted area of cropmore
Agricultural income

2015

2016

2017

2018

1.83

1.92

2.01

2.14

34.3

63.3

77.6

89.6

72.4

36.04

40.20

42.24

45.04

43.55

1,363.5

1,808.8

1,967.2

2,247.2

1,719.7

Greenhouse Greenhouse grown vegetable
farming’s aggregate planted
grown
vegetable area of crop

2.23

0.47

0.51

0.53

0.54

0.55

Agricultural income

429.5

509.9

572.9

522.5

543.7

Greenhouse grown vegetable
2ha or farming’s aggregate planted
more area of crop
Agricultural income

4.09

4.74

4.38

4.86

4.55

1,260.4

1,579.7

2,163.6

1,446.0

1,940.9

farming

Source: MAFF, Management Status Per Agricultural Entity Based on the Statistics on Management by Far
ming Type (estimate)
Note: Results of weighted average of the survey results of individual entities and organized/corporation entities by the number of entities in the population (Census of Agriculture and Forestry) per entity

2. Promoting structural reform of agriculture
Farmland accumulation and consolidation through operation of the Public Corporation for
Farmland Accumulation to Business Farmers through Renting and Subleasing (Farmland Banks)Business farmers’ share of total farmland

The total farmland area in 2019 was
4.40 million ha, a decrease of 23,000 hafrom the previous year.

52.3
48.1

48.0



55.2

56.2 %

50.3

2009
FY

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Source: MAFF
Note: Covering accumulation through means other than farmland banks

Farmlandbank

Prefecture

Preparation of an
allocation plan

Inspection

Municipality

Preparation of an
accumulation plan+

Municipality

Further, farmland accumulation andconsolidation for business farmers areaccelerated by simplifying borrowing andsubleasing farmland through Farmland
Banks.
21

Lender→Farmland bank

Preparation of an
accumulation plan
Discussing the plan withthe prefecture

Source: MAFF

Lender→Farmland bank→Borrower

Allocation plan

Image of one-time processing by accumulation plan
After revision
Accumulationplan

To achieve the 80% target of thebusiness farmers’ share of total farmlandby the end of FY2023, the revised
Farmland Banks Act was promulgated in
May 2019 and promoted the realization of“the Farmers and Farmland Plans”.

47.9

48.7

54.0

Target(80% by the eon of FY2023)(2) New methodAs a result of the Farmland Bank
initiative launched in 2014, business
farmers’ share of total farmland rose eachyear, reaching 56.2% at the end of
FY2018.

(1) Conventional
method

48.8

Accumulation
plan

Farmland bank→Borrower

Shortened procedureChapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

Developing and securing business farmers and strengthening human resources










Numbers of farms and organized farms

The number of core persons engaged
mainly in farming in 2019 decreased by
3.2% from the previous year to 1.404
million, with their average age standing at
67.
The number of farms decreased by
2.6% from the previous year to 1.189
million farms. While the number of farms
decreased, the number of corporation
farms increased by 3.1% from the previous
year to 23,000 due to their easieremployment and business continuation.
Amid intensifying competition for humanresources with other industries, thenumber of newcomers in agriculture aged
49 or younger was 19,000 in 2018, which
has been decreasing in recent years.
In FY2019, the Investment Project for
Next Generation of Farmers that supports
young newcomers has extended theconventional age requirement for its
benefit payment, which was age 44 or
younger, to age 49 or younger to promote
the use of the Project to solve the shortageof business farmers in hilly andmountainous areas.

(Number of farms)

Corporation farms
1.471 million farms

2014



From 2020, a new type will be createdthat offers an up to 40% discount ininsurance premiums when the lower limitof compensation is selected. Agricultural
mutual relief associations, governments,
agricultural cooperatives and other relatedorganizations are working to promote theenrollment by establishing promotion
systems.

23

23

2018

2019

1.189

2018

2014

2019

Number of 49-year-old or lessnewcomers in agriculture
20 thousand people
18
New entries

22

22

19

19

New employedfarmers
New self-employedfarmers

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Source: MAFF, Survey on Newcomers in Agriculture<Overview of revenue insurance>• Insurance premium rates are around 1%, with 80% or more of the standard
revenue being insured.
• The revenue insurance covers not only natural disasters but also a wide
range of agricultural business risks such as price drops for all agricultural
products.
<Example risks covered by revenue insurance>
Yield declined due tonatural disasters or wild
animal damage

Market prices dropped

Disasters madeplanting impossible

An injury or disease
hampered harvests

Warehouse flooding
made products
unavailable for saleExchange rate
fluctuations caused ahuge loss on exports

A revenue insurance system waslaunched in January 2019 which
compensates for income loss caused by
not only natural disasters but also various
risks. This is only available to farmers who
file the blue form tax returns.
In 2019, 23,000 farms enrolled in theinsurance.

36

Source: MAFF, Survey on Movement of Agricultural Structure, 2015 Census of
Agriculture and Forestry

To address an increasingly serious labor
shortage,Specified Skilled Worker
Residency Status
was established in
April 2019 to accept new foreign workers.
As of the end of March 2020, 686 foreign
workers have been accepted in the
agricultural sector.



1.221

32 thousand 36
farms

15

Implementation of revenue insurance(Number of organized farms)*Up to 40% discount is offered when 70% of the standard revenue isselected as the lower limit of compensation.
Source: MAFF

<Case study> Voice of the insured person(Hokkaido Prefecture)

22Considering the risk of fluctuation in themarket prices of vegetables, such as
Japanese yams, I have been working tobuild a stable management program byincreasing contract cultivation, but since it
is not perfect, I also enrolled in therevenue insurance where income loss
caused by price falls, etc., is also coveredfor compensation.

Source: MAFF

Yoshitsugu Kuroda

Chapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

3. Developing and conserving agricultural production infrastructure
Enhancing agriculture’s competitiveness through expanding farmland partitions, developing multipurpose paddy fields
and converting paddy fields into upland fields<Case study> Farmland development project inIn 2018, 66% of rice paddies had been consolidated
collaboration with Farmland Banks (Aichi Prefecture)

into 30 a or larger partitions, 70% were well drained
and available as upland fields. Irrigation facilities hadcovered 24% of upland fields.

 Wajiota District in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture wasdeveloped as paddy fields but most of it has become
dilapidated farmland. It has been arranged to convert
paddy fields to upland field, but it is not realized due tothe problem of cost sharing.

Expandingfarmlandpartitions,developing
multipurpose paddy fields and converting paddy fields
into upland fields can promote farmers to introduce
smart agriculture and switch to a farming system thatincorporates highly profitable crops, such as
vegetables.
The productivity at the construction sites for
agriculture and rural area development has improved
through computer-aided measures using informationand communications technologies.

In response to the establishment of a farmland
development project related to Farmland Banks to
implement farmland development without costs forfarmers, the project was launched to consolidate thefarmland to 12 business farmers.

To achieve more efficient land use by farmers,
enlargement of paddy fields and conversion of paddy
fields to upland fields are promoted. (scheduled to becompleted in 2023).

Extending service lives of agricultural irrigation facilities



Developed agricultural irrigation facilities include corechannels totaling 51,154 km and 7,582 core facilities
including dams and diversion weirs.

Systematic and efficient repairs, updates, etc., areimplemented to extend the lives of facilities and reduce
life cycle costs.

District implemented with infrastructure development

4. Trends of rice policy reformGiven the decline in annual rice consumption, 160
1.6
the government abolished administrative allocationof a production target from CY2018, switched to a
1.5
policy of leading production areas and producers 150
to produce and sell various types of rice in line withdemand and is promoting the policy so it becomes 140
1.4
firmly established.

Staple food rice planted area

1.580

Unit: million ha
1.524
1.474

0
While Japan’s staple food rice planting area in 130
CY*2010
2012
2014
2016
CY2019 decreased by 7,000 ha from the previous
Source: MAFF, Statistics on Cultivated Land and Planted Area
year, the rice crop condition index was limited toNote: CY is crop year.
99, resulting in a 0.9% decrease in production to
Export quantity and value of rice for7.26 million Mt. Prices remained almost at thecommercial use
same level as the previous year.



As demand for staple food rice is expected tocontinue decreasing, farmers are encouraged toswitch to strategic rice paddy products, such as
wheat, soybeans, rice for rice flour and rice for
feed, and highly profitable crops, such as
vegetables and fruit trees, which are in demand.
Exports of rice for commercial use haveincreased about fourfold over the last five years.
Measures, such as development of overseas
demand by exporters and linking between
exporters and production areas, are promoted.
The demand for rice for rice flour increased by
24% in CY2018 due to the operation of the third
party certification system for non-gluten rice flour
products, etc.

2018 2019

Unit: billion yen
4.62
1000MtExport quantity volume

Value



1.386 1.379

1.381

3.76

2.23

3.20

2.71

17.4

1.43
4.5

7.6

10.0

2014

2015

2016

11.8

13.8

2017

2018

2019

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Trade Statistics by MOF
Note: The government’s rice food aid is excluded.

Production and demand of rice for rice flour
Unit:1000Mt

Production 37

13

23

20

23

2013

2015

31

28

28

17

5

FY200925

Demand25

2011

23 Source: MAFF

2017 2018

Chapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

5. Production trends for major farm and livestock products
Wheat/SoybeansThe yield of wheat produced in 2019
increased by 36% from the previous year due tofavorable weather conditions, etc. The yield ofsoybeans remained about the same as theprevious year.
Given the growing demand for domestic
wheat and soybeans, it is necessary torealize/stabilize the quality according to
demand. Therefore, various measures arepromoted, such as strengthening collaboration
with the food industry, cost reduction throughsmart agriculture, drainage measures anddevelopment/introduction of new varieties withexcellent processing suitability, etc.

VegetablesVegetable production in 2018 decreased by
2.1% from the previous year due to theadverse weather conditions.
Demand for processing and commercial
uses expanded to 60% of the total. In
particular, frozen vegetables are on the risedue to their convenience, etc. Imported frozen
vegetables account for most of the domestic
distribution volume.
To strengthen the production system tomeet these new demands, various measures
are promoted in collaboration with multiple
production areas, such as the development of
production base operators who will provide astable supply to buyers and creation of new
production areas utilizing paddy fields.

Wheat planted area and yield

Soybean planted area and yield
Planted area

Planted area
213,000 ha

212,000

212,000

Hokkaido 1.037

1.004 million t

150,000

142,000 ha

144,000

Other
prefectures

0.253

0.243 million t

Hokkaido
0.218

0.907
Other
prefectures

0.086

0.101
0.088

0.678

0.731

0.608

0.273

0.299

0.359

2015 crop

2017

2019

0.157

0.153

2015 crop

2017

0.129

2019

Source: MAFF, Statistics on Crops

Supplies for processing andcommercial uses and household
consumption (main vegetables)

Domestic distribution volume offrozen vegetables
Domestic production

Imported frozen vegetables
Processing andcommercial uses

10.81 million t

For household
consumption

10.02

(49％)

9.57

(45)

1.021
million t 1.007
0.097

0.095

0.92
4

0.91
2

2013

2015

1.085

(55)

(57)

1990

2005

2015

0.072

0.076

(43)

(51％)

1.161

1.009

2017

1.089

2019

Source: Policy Research Institute, Ministry
Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Productionof Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
and Consumption of Frozen Food
Notes: 1) Estimated by using vegetables
Products by Japan Frozen Fooddesignated as main items (13Association
items).
Note: Distribution volume of frozen vegetables
2) Figures in parentheses indicate theis the sum of imports and domestic
ratios of vegetables for processing
production.
and commercial uses andhousehold consumption.

Fruits

Pruning labor saving effect of the joint method(Example of pear trees)

Fruit production in 2018 increased by 0.9%
from the previous year, which was affected byadverse weather conditions.

18.07
44% reduction

To secure the production in line withdemand amid the weakening production base,introduction of labor-saving tree forms that can
improve labor productivity is promoted.

9.78 min./㎡

While externalization/simplification of diet isprogressing, supplies of fruits and processed
fruits that meet consumer needs, such as
deliciousness and easiness to eat, arepromoted.

Conventional

10.10

44% reduction
5.52

Joint
Experienced person

Conventional

Joint

Inexperienced person

Source: Kanagawa Agricultural Technology Center, “Joint tree method for Japanese pear
trees - Towards achieving early yield and developing labor-saving/low-cost
cultivation technology”

24Chapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

Leaf tobacco
Leaf tobacco harvested area and yield
Harvested area

While the planted area and yield of leaf tobacco are
decreasing due to the aging of farmers, JT provides
support for improving productivity.

8,600 ha8,000
20 thousand t

7,100

18

17

2016

2018

Yield

Livestock products








While the number of households raising livestock
decreased for each livestock category, the number ofanimals raised per household increased, indicating the
growth of large-scale production..
Japan’s total raw milk production still remains on adeclining trend because while the raw milk production
is increasing in Hokkaido, it is decreasing in otherprefectures. However, given that the number of heifers
less than 2 years old, which will be raised for milkcows, is increasing, raw milk production is expected torecover.
Beef production increased for the second straightyear due to an increase in the number of breeding
cows.

2014

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Purchase Data by Japan Tobacco Inc.

Raw milk production

thousand t
8,000

7,607

7,290

7,282

3,912

3,922

3,967

3,496
Other prefectures

3,368

3,315

7,407

7,000
4,500

Japan

Hokkaido
3,931

3,500

～
～

3,677

2,500

To respond to the growing domestic demand fordairy products and beef and expand exports, various
measures are promoted, such as strengthening the
production base by awarding financial incentives tocattle farmers for increasing their stock of dairy andbeef cows and succession of the management base byimproving facilities run by small and medium sizedbusiness owners and families.

FY2012

2015

2017

2018

Source: MAFF, Statistics on Milk and Dairy Products

Beef production
514 thousand t

475

476

FY201220152018

Source: MAFF, Food Balance Sheet

6. Promoting measures to enhance agricultural production competitivenessPromoting smart agriculture

Since FY2019, Smart Agriculture Demonstration
Project,
which
introduces/demonstrates
smart
agriculture technologies at production sites, has beenlaunched in 69 districts across the country and its
management effects will be verified over two years.

In April 2019, the operation of Agricultural Data
Collaboration Platform (WAGRI), which allows
collaboration and use of various agricultural data, wasstarted and the participating companies began to offer
services using WAGRI.



Tofurther
spreadagriculturaldrones,environmental improvements have been made in July
2019, such as facilitating the procedure for the aerial
spraying of pesticides.

Promoting farming safety measures

The number of people who died due to accidents
during farming per 100,000 people was 15.6, which
was higher than other industries.
Accidents related to agricultural machinery work are
the main cause of farming accidents. To reduce thenumber of these accidents, various measures arebeing promoted, such as installation of safety cabins
and frames on tractors and wearing seat belts andhelmets.
25

Main examples of
the Smart Agriculture Demonstration Project

Variable fertilizer rice planter(Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture)

Wireless remote mower(Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture)

The number of deaths caused by farming accidents
per 100,000 people
Aged 65 or olderin agriculture
16.4
peopleAgriculture

19.7
15.6

12.5
8.0

Construction

2.0

All industries

2008

6.1

2013

1.4

2018

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on Fatal Accident Report by MHLW; Labor
Force Survey by MIC; Survey on Fatal Accidents in Agriculture,
Census of Agriculture and Forestry and Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure by MAFF

Chapter 2

Creating Strong Agricultural Structure

7. Promotion of environmental policy such as responses to climate change
Promoting climate change mitigation/adaptation measures, etc.




According to the IPCC Special Report on
Climate Change and Land released in August
2019, agriculture, forestry and other land use
activities account for around 23% of global
total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas
emissions.

Basic Concept of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Towards a Decarbonized Society(April 2019)

In April 2019, MAFF compiled the Basic
Concept of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Towards a Decarbonized Society,promoting efforts to achieve a significant
reduction of greenhouse gases under the four
action policies.

Four action policies towards a decarbonized society

Full utilization of renewableenergy and decarbonizationof production processes

Reduction of emissions fromthe agriculture and livestockindustries and increasing
consumer understandingTo adapt to inevitable climate change,
development and dissemination of varieties
and technologies that prevent/reduce theimpact on agriculture is promoted, such as
paddy field rice that does not deteriorate
under high temperatures.

Japan’s organic farming area
Farmland with no organic JAS certification
but implementing organic farming
Share of organic
farmland
Organic JAS
to total cultivated area
certified
farmland

16.7
thousand ha

23.5

21.6
0.48％

0.53％

0.36%

The Japanese organic food market
expanded 1.4 times in about 10 years. The
organic farming area also expanded by 40%
to 24,000 ha but it only accounts for 0.5% to
the total farming area.
In the new Basic Policy on the Promotion ofOrganic
Farming,
production
andconsumption targets are set for increasing
production of organic farming and expanding
domestic products share in Japanese organic
market.

Contribution to greenhousegas reduction of overseas
agriculture, forestry andfisheries industries

Source: MAFF

Promotion of ecofriendly agriculture

Promotion of carbon
sequestration and storage andutilization of biomass resources

FY20102014

2017

Source: MAFF

Targets of the new Basic Policy on the Promotion of Organic Farming[Organic farming area]

23,500 ha (2017) → 63,000 ha (2030)[Number of organic farmers]

11,800 people (2009) → 36,000 people (2030)

Domestic products share in
Japanese organic market]

60% (2017) → 84% (2030)[Percentage of consumers
who use organic foods atleast once a week]

17.5% (2017) → 25% (2030)

Source: MAFF

8. Agriculture-related organizations supporting agriculture

During the agricultural cooperative reform
intensive promotion period, progress has been
made in the self-reform efforts aimed atincreasing the farmers’ income, such as theadvantageous sale of agricultural products andthe advantageous procurement of production
materials.
With the establishment of the Agricultural
Committee Members for promotion of optimized
farmland usage separate from the existing
Agricultural Committee members, efforts of theAgricultural Committee to optimize the use of
farmland in each region are expected to bevitalized.

Questionnaire on reform of agricultural cooperatives(Unit: %)Category

Respondents

FY2016FY2019Regarding the review of agricultural
product sales business, those who
responded “concrete measures
have been initiated”

Total JAs

68.0

91.4

Farmers

25.6

40.4

Regarding the review of production
material procurement business,those who responded “concretemeasures have been initiated”

Total JAs

65.5

91.7

Farmers

24.0

43.7

Source: MAFF, Questionnaire survey on JA Self-Reform(released in September 2019)26

Chapter 3

Taking Advantage of Local Resources to Promote andVitalize Rural Areas

1. Current status of rural areas and trends of regional empowerment


While it is projected that the population will decrease
in all types of areas, including urban areas, by 2045,
there is a growing movement centered on young people
who are interested in “returning to rural living” fromurban areas.

Population changes and future forecast
by classification of agriculture area
(Index with base year of 2015 set to 100)

170

122



In the second phase of the Comprehensive Strategy
for Revitalizing Towns, People and Work formulated in
December 2019, it is stated that related ministries andagencies will work together to implement measures torectify the over-concentration of people in the Tokyo
metropolitan area.

100

95

89

Urban areas
Flat farming areas
68

74
58
Hilly farming areas

46

Mountainous farming areas

Under the Act on Promotion of Specified Regional
Development Business, various regional jobs are
combined to create employment opportunities
throughout the year and promote the settlement ofyoung people in rural areas.

1970

1985

1995

2005

2015

2025

2035

2045

Source: Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Future Projections for Population in Rural Areas and Agricultural
Communities - Agricultural Structure in 2045

2. Promoting agriculture in hilly and mountainous areas

Hilly and mountainous areas account for 10%
of Japan’s population and 40% of its total farmingarea and output, playing a key role in performing
multiple functions including food production.

<Case study> Regional vitalization focused on riceterraces (Nagasaki Prefecture)

Infrastructure development and revitalization
are promoted, aiming to create 250 districts by
FY2024 that will make various initiatives using
local resources, such as contributing toincreasing income in hilly and mountainous
areas.

Kasuga Village in Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture wasdesignated as an Important Cultural Landscape by the Agency
for Cultural Affairs. Taking this opportunity, the village has
established tourist guide boards and promenades inconsideration of history and scenery, been offering agriculturalexperiences
utilizing
abandoned
farmland
andcommercialization of Japanese sake and other products using
rice grown on terraced fields.



In 2018, the village wasregistered as a World Heritage
Site and the number of visitors
increased to 20,000 people.
In the village, the residents
welcome visitors at the information
center which was renovated froma vacant house.

The Act on vitalization of Tanada region cameinto effect in August 2019. Comprehensive
support across relevant ministries and agencies
is provided for initiatives/activities which various
regional entities collaboratively take part in.

Hospitality provided by the Kasuga Village

3. Harmonious coexistence and interactions between
cities and rural areas centered on countryside stayImage of countryside stayCountryside Stay (long-stay tours in rural areas)

Aiming to create areas prepared forcountryside stay business, MAFF has selected
515 areas and supports their efforts forcountryside stay.

• Farm household lodging• Accommodation utilizing closed
schools• Old folk house stay
• Private house lodging• Hotel • Ryokan etc.

Farm-inn(Public lodging house)

Up to FY2018, 349 areas had been supported
by MAFF and the total number of guests,
including foreign tourists, who stayed in theseareas increased from 2.88 million in FY2016 to
3.66 million in FY2018.

• Local cuisines• Creative dishes developed
by incorporating ideas ofexternal cooks• Farm restaurant etc.

Accommoda
tion

Food
Utilization of gibier

Enjoy
during stay
(1) Farmer’s markets only
Duration of stay: short→ “Pass-throughtourism”(Profit is limited)(2) With accommodation
Duration of stay: long→ “Stay-in tourism”(Profit for entire area)

27

Experience

Rural area

• Cycling• Nature park trekking• Dressing experience
Agriculture • Festival experience etc.

experience

Profit and employment are generated, rural area is kept livable and sustainable,
and food is supplied stably

Source: MAFF

Chapter 3

Taking Advantage of Local Resources to Promote and Vitalize Rural Areas
Total number of guestsThe number of regions certified as SAVOR JAPANregions that utilize mainly local food, and agriculture,
forestry and fisheries to attract mainly foreign travelers
increased to 27, including 6 new regions certified in
FY2019.
In 2019, the Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan
program selected 31 areas and 5 people as excellent
examples of revitalizing communities and/or rising income
by drawing out the potential of the rural areas. Also, theSummit participated in by the areas selected until thenwas held.

1,000 people

4,000
3,000

Number of total
guests who weredomestic travelers

2,880

Number of total guests who were
foreign travelers visiting Japan

3,660

3,280

280

230

120

2,000
1,000

2,760

3,060

3,380

FY2016

2017

2018

0
Source: MAFF
Notes: 1) Targeted 349 countryside stay areas supported by FY2018
2) As of the end of April 2019

<Case study> Increased visitors from overseas and cities through countryside stay (Miyazaki Prefecture)

Forestpia Takachiho-go Tourism Association covering fivetowns in Miyazaki Prefecture, Takachiho, Hinokage, Gokase,
Morotsuka and Shiiba, was established in 2012 as an initiative
to increase visitors.



By offering rural living experience, cultural exchange
programs, such as straw and bamboo work and local cuisine,
the Association attracts general travelers and students onoverseas school trips.



The first SAVOR JAPAN certified region in Kyushu.

A renovated old folk house rented
for countryside stay, Corasita(Western-style room)(Japanese-style room)

4. Maintaining and demonstrating multifunctional roles of agriculture and rural areasThe effects of agriculture and rural areas’
Outline of the Japanese agricultural direct payment system
multifunctional roles (conservation of national land,
cultivation of water resources, conservation of the
Payments for activities to enhance multi-functionality
natural environment, formation of good landscapes,[Farmland maintenance payment]
maintenance of cultural traditions, etc.) are an
important asset of not only rural residents but also all
Supporting local resources conservation activities
including mowing farmland slopes
people, and it is important to continue agriculture to
Mowing a farmland slope
maintain and bring out these effects. It is also important[Resource improvement payment]
to deepen the understanding of the people.



The payment for activities to enhance multifunctionality has brought about various effects including
non-farming people’s growing participation where 2.42
million people and groups participated in joint activities
in FY2018, and the appropriate conservation andmanagement of agricultural irrigation facilities.

Supporting simple repair of channels, agriculturalroads and ponds, and other cooperative activities toqualitatively improve local resources

Repairing a channel

Direct payments to farmers in hilly and mountainous areas

Supporting the continuation of agricultural
production in hilly and mountainous areas
Hilly and mountainous area







The direct payment to farmers in hilly andmountainous areas has contributed to preventing the
reduction of 75,000 ha of farmland.
Activities supported by the direct payments forenvironmentally friendly agriculture contributed toreducing greenhouse gas emissions by 140,000 t a
year.

Direct payments for environmentally friendly agriculture

Supporting agricultural production activities
contributing to natural environment protection
Cover crop

Source: MAFF

Initiatives towards branding of agricultural products
and promotion of tourism are implemented that takeadvantage of the designation of Globally Important
Agricultural Heritage Systems(GIAHS), Japanese
Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems(JNIAHS) or World Heritage Irrigation Structures.

28

Kakegawa area, Shizuoka Prefecture
Green tea popcorn

Kunisaki Peninsula Usa area,
Oita Prefecture
Brand certified rice

Chapter 3

Taking Advantage of Local Resources to Promote and Vitalize Rural Areas

5. Wildlife damage and Gibier
Current status of wildlife damage and countermeasures






19.9
billion yen

Wildlife damage has been decreasing every year to
15.8 billion yen in FY2018, however, such damage
discourages farmers from continuing agriculture orencourages them to abandon cultivation, posing serious
impacts on rural areas.





3.6

17.2

2
1.3

3.5

Birds

15.8
2.9

1.9
1.0

1.9
0.8

5.6

5.4

5.5

5.1

4.7

2013
FY201320162018

Based on the Act on Special Measures for Preventionof Damage Related to Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Caused by Wildlife, 1,198 municipal
governments have established wildlife damage
countermeasure teams as of the end of April 2019.

7.6

Other beasts
Monkeys
Deer

Wild boar

The ICT-supported traps have also been deployed.
The numbers of deer and wild boars captured havedoubled in 10 years. On the other hand, there are still
areas that are seeing increased damage, so measuresthat are tailored to the actual situations of each region
are necessary.

Source: MAFF

Gibier consumption

Growing Gibier Consumption

Crop damage by wildlife

Gibier consumption in FY2018 increased by 15.8%
from the previous year to 1,887 t. The gibier utilization
rate stood at 13% for deer and 6.0% for wild boars, both
remaining low. Also, considering the impact of CSF
infected wild boars on the meatpacking facilities in theaffected areas, efforts are made to promote theconversion to deer meat use and prevent the spread of
infection in wild boars.

1,629
118
1,283 t125
150

Gibier certification mark1,887
130 Others
374

Pet food

373
426
324

Wild boas(meat)

343
814

665

Efforts, such as the establishment of a domestic gibier
certification system to ensure customers’ security
concerning gibier and the promotion of gibier, are madeto promote the expansion of demand for gibier.

FY2016

2017

957

Deer
(meat)

2018

Source: MAFF, Fact-finding Survey on Wildlife Resources Utilization
Note: “Others” indicate wildlife meat other than deer and wildboars, meat for household consumption, etc.

Deer meat has been attracting attention as being a
low-calorie
andhighlynutritional
ingredient.
Consumption by athletes is also expected.

6. Utilizing renewable energy

The Long-term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook
Renewable energy’s share of total power generation
indicates a target of boosting renewable energy’s shareof total power generation to 22-24% by FY2030. The(100 million kwh)
Share of renewable energy
3,000
20
share in FY2018 rose by 0.9 percentage points from thein total power generation
16.9
previous year to 16.9%.
2,500
14.6





Under the basic policy based on the Act on Promoting 2,000
the Generation of Electricity from Renewable Energy
Sources Harmonized with Sound Development of 1,500
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries revised in July 2019,
the target of economic scale, such as revenues related 1,000
to the electricity/heat generated from renewable energy
500sources, is set to 60 billion yen.
By supporting the introduction of biogas plants, etc.,
the realization of local energy production andconsumption and establishment of a new management
model that also utilizes byproducts as fertilizer arepromoted.

0

12.5
9.5%

10.0
1,326

1,091

1,074

66
152

74
168

35

78
182

230

1,536
87
197

458

1,773

15
Wind/
geothermal

100
236

Biomass
10627

Solar PV

5

66

838

765

835

795

810

FY2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Hydro

0

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on General Energy Statistics of Japan by Agency for
Natural Resources and Energy, METI

29

Chapter 3

Taking Advantage of Local Resources to Promote and Vitalize Rural Areas

7. Promotion of urban agricultureUrban residents’ views on conservation of urban
agriculture and farmlands

A poll of urban residents found that 70% of
respondents sought to keep urban agriculture andfarmlands.

No opinion
Urban farmlands should proactively
be converted into residential lots

2.9％

With an urban farmland leasing act put into force
in September 2018, leasing farmlands inproductive green zones can now be done withsecurity and 83,000 ㎡ of farmland has beencertified/approved at the end of FY2018.

Urban farmlands
should rather be
converted into
residential lots

19.1%

Urban farmlands
should proactively
be kept

34.3％

7.1％

Urban farmlands
should rather be kept

36.7％

Urban farmlands
should be kept

71.0％

Source: MAFF, Poll on Urban Agriculture
Notes: 1) Poll conducted as of May 20192) Online questionnaire conducted for residents of specified cities in threemajor metropolitan areas
3) Completed by 2,000 people

8. Promoting agriculture-welfare collaboration
Image of agriculture-welfare collaboration
Farmers answered that working on agriculturewelfare collaboration was effective in improving
their annual sales and efficiency by reviewing
their work and persons with disabilities answeredthat their wages improved.

Collaboration between “agriculture” and welfare(= agriculture-welfare collaboration)[Issues in agriculture/rural
areas]- Shortage of agricultural labor force- Occurrence of farmland
dilapidation, etc.

In June 2019, the vision for promoting
agriculture-welfare collaboration was decided at
an agriculture-welfare collaboration promotion
meeting.

- Lack of jobs for persons withdisabilities, etc.
- Low wages, etc.

Persons with disabilities, etc., demonstrate their abilities and participate
in agricultural production activities that make the most of their abilities[Advantages ofagriculture/rural areas]- Securing agricultural labor force- Maintenance/expansion of farmland- Prevention of farmland dilapidation- Maintenance of local communities, etc.

• To expand agriculture-welfare collaborations
throughout the country, various efforts arepromoted, such as development of strategic
promotion plans, one-stop contact system,
matching system and specialized humanresources.

[Advantages of welfare(persons with disabilities, etc.)]- Securing employment opportunities
for persons with disabilities, etc.
- Improving wages- Purpose of life, rehabilitation- Training for regular jobs, etc.

Source: MAFF

<Column> Specialized human resources that are
the key to promoting agriculture-welfare
collaboration• By FY2024, 3,000 new entities to work on
agriculture-welfare collaboration will becreated.
[Issues in welfare (persons withdisabilities, etc.)]

To promote employment of persons withdisabilities, etc., various efforts are promoted,
such as raising awareness of agriculture-welfare
collaboration by holding seminars, etc., andproviding support for the installation ofgreenhouses, processing facilities and safety
facilities, such as resting areas and handrails, forpersons with disabilities will be working.

Efforts to develop and dispatch specialized humanresources who offer assistance between farmers andpersons with disabilities to support the job retention of
persons with disabilities are expanding to various
regions.

Hands-on training for agricultural job trainers
Source: Mie Prefecture<Column> ”Noufuku” JAS Certification created by Agri- (“Nou”)-Welfare (“Fukushi”) collaboration“Noufuku” JAS, established in March 2019, specifies the production
process and labelling standards for the production of agricultural,
forestry and fishery products including processed foods produced bypersons with disabilities engaging in major production processes.
As of March 2020, 10 business operators have been certified.
First Nofuku JAS Certification

30

Nofuku JAS mark

Chapter 4 Restoration/Reconstruction
from fromNaturalDisasters,
Disaster
Restoration and Reconstruction
Frequent
NaturalPrevention/Reduction
Disasters in FY2018 and Strengthening National Resilience

1. Restoration/Reconstruction from natural disasters in FY2019
Frequent natural disasters in recent years and damage to agriculture, forestry and fisheriesIn recent years, damage to agriculture, forestry and fisheries caused by natural disasters is increasing. In 2019, thedamage caused by natural disasters, such as Typhoon Faxai (Typhoon No. 15) and Typhoon Hagibis (Typhoon No. 19), was488.3 billion yen.

Great EastJapan
Earthquake

27,055

Damage to agriculture, forestry and fisheries in
the past 10 years～(100 million yen)
Hokkaido Iburi
Tobu Earthquake
6,282

Kumamoto
Earthquake

23,841

1,145
4,833

4,358
3,126
3,214

1,890

1,772
2,460

2,008

933

2010

1,107

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Source: MAFF
Notes: As of the end of April 2020

Responses to FY2019 DisastersKey points of the countermeasure package

Liaisons were dispatched to local governments, etc., indisaster-affected areas to quickly grasp the damage situation.
For Typhoon Hagibis, etc., the liaisons accounted for a total of
871 man-days.
According to the situations of the disaster-affected areas,
push-type food containers and drink support were provided.
Disasters, such as heavy rain due to the weather systems
from August to September and Typhoon Hagibis, were
designated as ordinance-designated severe disasters early
and in a wide range to help local governments in disasteraffected areas to quickly work on restoration/reconstruction.



In November, the government compiled “a countermeasure
package for reconstructing the lives and businesses of people
in affected areas”.

Based on local requests regarding the disasters that caused
considerable damage, MAFF decided on “support measuresfor damage related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries”
necessary to continue farming. A pre-assessment
construction system was used for early resumption of farming
and national technical staff (MAFF-SAT) were dispatched to
local governments in disaster-affected areas, providing
physical and technical support for their early restoration.

31

Main contents of support
Provision of support for the replanting ofSupport for damaged fruit trees, management of young
fruit tree
trees and farming in substitute farmland to
farmers
secure income until the next production offruits
Implementation of special measures for rice
farmers to resume farming for the next crop
Support forbased on the flood damage to the preserved
rice farmers
rice and rice straw in the private sector as well
as a wide spread of cultivated areas.

Support for
restorationofagricultural
machinery

Provision of support for thereconstruction/repair of damaged agricultural
greenhouses, agricultural machinery, etc.
Regarding the damage caused by Typhoon
Hagibis, which was designated as a specified
extraordinary disaster, increasing the subsidy
rate for agricultural machinery not covered by
the horticultural facility mutual aid

Utilizationof group
subsidies

MAFF will collaborate with the Small andMedium Enterprises Agency to make groupsubsidies available in the agricultural field forthe four disaster-affected prefectures

Source: MAFF

Chapter 4 Restoration/Reconstruction from Natural Disasters, Disaster Prevention/Reduction and Strengthening National Resilience

Status of restoration from FY2019 disastersFor the restoration of agricultural greenhouses damaged by
Typhoon Faxai, pre-assessment construction is promoted ineach region to help farmers to quickly resume their farming
through support, such as the comprehensive support grant
available for disaster-affected farmers that will help develop astronger agricultural base.

Disaster assessment has been completed and restoration
construction is gradually expanding for approximately 2,100 haof paddy fields flooded with a large amount of sediments due toTyphoon Hagibis, etc. For the other approximately 15,600 ha of
paddy fields, farmers are undertaking self-restoration efforts,
removing accumulated rice straw, preparing soil, etc. For fruit
trees damaged in Nagano and Fukushima prefectures,
restoration work, such as removing mud and other debris, andpruning, has been completed.

Damaged glass greenhouses (Typhoon Faxai)

Removing rice straw (Typhoon Hagibis, etc.)

2. Disaster prevention/reduction, strengthening national resilience and preparations
that should be made by farmers

Promoting measures for disaster prevention/reduction and strengthening
national resilienceAs a response to natural disasters that are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, measures, such asproviding an aseismatic structure to agricultural irrigation facilities and reinforcing agricultural greenhouses, arepromoted based on the 3-years emergency measures package for preventing/reducing disasters andenhancing national resilience.

Regarding reservoirs, measures, such as creation of hazard maps and repair of levees, are promoted for
critical reservoirs for disaster prevention that were re-selected at the end of May 2019. Also, based on the Act
on Management and Conservation of Agricultural Reservoirs that came into force in July, necessary measuresfor proper management and conservation of agricultural reservoirs are implemented by requiring mandatory
reporting by persons involved in agricultural reservoirs, such as owners and managers, designating specificagricultural reservoirs by prefectures, etc.
Examples of disaster preparations that should bemade by farmers themselves

Preparing for disasters• Introducing species and cultivation technologies that
adapt to extreme weather conditions

• Maintaining, managing and reinforcing agricultural
greenhouses

To prepare for disasters, farmers themselves
need to make efforts, such as introducing species
and cultivation technologies that adapt to extreme
weather conditions, maintaining and managing
agricultural greenhouses and using agricultural
insurance, etc. MAFF promotes technical guidancefor preventing typhoon and snowfall damage andfarmers’ enrollment in horticulture facility mutual aid
offering a new premium discount package andrevenue insurance.

• Introducing low-cost weather-resistant greenhouses• Enrolling in agricultural insurance and other relevant
insurance• Securing emergency power sources• Establishing a business continuity plan (BCP)• Implementing measures against diseases and pests
based on occurrence prediction information released
from prefectural plant pest control stations• Removing/cutting coverings of agricultural
greenhouses ahead of severe weather events, such as
when a typhoon is approaching

32

Source: MAFF

Chapter 4 Restoration/Reconstruction from Natural Disasters, Disaster Prevention/Reduction and Strengthening National Resilience

３．Restoration/Reconstruction from Great East Japan Earthquake
Earthquake and tsunami damage and restoration/reconstruction
Salt removal, rice paddy boundary reconstruction and other restoration operations have made progress in
19,760 ha of farmland subjected to restoration and farming was resumed in 93% of this farmland as of the end ofJanuary 2020.
In Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, farmland partitions have been expanded during restoration.

Impacts of the accident at Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station and restoration/reconstruction

Toward resumption of farming, related agencies
established a farming resumption promotion team incollaboration to promote the formulation of a future vision forthe production areas, etc. MAFF will dispatch its staff to the
12 accident-affected municipalities from FY2020.
To dispel harmful rumors, comprehensive support isprovided from production to distribution/sales, such as
promotion of the acquisition of a third-party GAP certification,
investigation of distribution situations and sales promotion.
As a result of sharing information, such as scientific data,with the 54 countries and regions that have introduced importmeasures on Japanese food following the nuclear power
plant accident, 34 have now eliminated them.

Removal or relaxation of import measures in major export
destinations due to the Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident (FY2019)

Export destinations
Removal

In 12 accident-affected municipalities, the resumption rateof farming is polarized depending on the time when thegovernment lifted evacuation orders.

Democratic Republic of Congo (June), Brunei(October), Philippines (January)

Relaxation



U.S. (April, September, November, January),
Philippines (May), UAE (July), Macao (October),
EU and EFTA member countries (November),Singapore (January), Indonesia (January,
February*)

Source: MAFF
Note: *From May 20, 2020

<Column> Victory bouquet made with flowers from the disaster-affected areasAt the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games,
victory bouquets will be awarded to medalists as an extra prize.



These bouquets will be made and provided by using flowers
produced in the areas affected by the Great East Japan
Earthquake, such as eustoma from Fukushima Prefecture. It is
hoped that these bouquets will become a symbol of the progressof restoration efforts and appreciation for the support from allaround the world in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Image of victory bouquets
Photo by Tokyo 2020 / Shugo TAKEMI

４．Restoration/Reconstruction from Kumamoto EarthquakeAt the end of FY2019, almost all farms seeking to resume farming had done so.

Under a creative reconstruction initiative, the expansion of farmland partitions has been implemented.

33

Chapter 4 Restoration/Reconstruction from Natural Disasters, Disaster Prevention/Reduction and Strengthening National Resilience

５．Response to the Novel Coronavirus
Impact on the agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and food industry

Novel Coronavirus was identified in China in December 2019 and has since spread all over the world.
Due to the temporary closure of elementary and junior high schools, the government request to refrain fromholding events, decreasing demand for eating out/tourism including inbound demand, entry restrictions fromforeign countries, etc., in consideration of the spread of infection, Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries, andfood industries are facing serious issues. These issues include cancellation of orders of milk, etc., for school
lunches, decrease in sales and prices of flowers, beef, fruits, etc., cancellation of reservations for countrysidestays, stagnation of acceptance of foreign technical interns and a decrease in exports.

Emergency response to affected industries
Considering the impact of the spread of the infection in Japan, the government decided to enact the firstemergency measures in February 2020 and the second ones in March. The following measures are implemented in
the agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and food industries.


As financing support measures for agriculture, forestry and fisheries workers, raising the maximum amount ofloans from the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Safety Net Fund, providing loans with virtually no interest for
the first five years, etc.

Subsidizing the leave allowances, etc., paid to employees through the Employment Adjustment Subsidy andensuring that all industries are thoroughly informed about it.

Implementation of support for producers and venders who were planning to deliver their agricultural
products for school lunches to find alternative sales channels for these remaining products and support for pricedifferences caused by changing the use of raw milk intended for school lunches to processing skimmed milk
powder, butter, etc.

Providing information on preventive measures for the novel coronavirus to areas nationwide offeringcountryside stays.

Guidelines on business continuity for farmers (PR version)

Initiatives towards
securing a stable foodsupply for the people

To ensure a continuous foodsupply, guidelines on business
continuity for the entire foodsupply
chain
have
been
formulated.
Farmers,foodbusiness operators, etc., arecalled to establish a support
system in accordance with theseguidelines.

Source: MAFF
Notes: 1) Guidelines revised on May 22, 2020
2) Guidelines for business types other than farmers have also been formulated and posted on thewebsite of MAFF.

34

Chapter 4 Restoration/Reconstruction from Natural Disasters, Disaster Prevention/Reduction and Strengthening National ResilienceMAFF created a special page on its website andalso used SNSs, video-sharing services and othermedia to provide the public with information on the
supply status, etc., of food products in an easy-tounderstand manner. MAFF also established newcoronavirus inquiry counters in Regional
Agricultural Administration Offices.

Example of Hana Ippai Project initiative

The government has requested food business
operators, etc., to maintain a smooth food supply
and called upon people not to overstock.
Investigation/monitoring has been implemented
to prevent buying up or holding back sales of food.
Kokusan Shokuzai Morimori Campaign logomark

 To increase consumption of domestic agricultural,
forestry and fisheries products, the Hana Ippai
Project (for promoting the consumption of flower)
and Kokusan Shokuzai Morimori Campaign (forpromoting the consumption of domestically grown
foods) have been launched.

Decision on emergency economic measures

To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection and subsequent economic recovery, thegovernment has decided on Emergency Economic Measures in April 2020.
To maintain/continue the production base and stimulate demand, these Measures include providing
financing support for business continuity of agriculture, forestry and fisheries workers, securing the labor
force, providing support for business operators facing difficulties in maintaining their business, promoting
sales to maintain the production/supply system and promotion of public-private integrated campaigns forincreasing demand.

The government will continue to monitor and flexibly respond to changes in the situations in each region.

<Column> Disasters come before they are forgotten - The government has prepared various
support measures for risks


FY2019 has been a challenging year to deal with not
only the novel coronavirus but also various other disasters,such as Typhoon Faxai, Typhoon Hagibis and CSF(Classical swine fever) which continued from September
2018.



To address these natural disasters, infectious diseasesof livestock and other various risks, the government takes
detailed support measures while listening to requests, etc.,from the affected sites.

For various risks that may also occur in the future, it isimportant for farmers themselves to be always prepared byworking on what needs to get done, such as
inspecting/reinforcing agricultural greenhouses, enrolling in
agricultural insurance, etc., and complying with theStandards of Rearing Hygiene Management. The
government provides full support to farmers making such
efforts to continue farming.

35

On the website of MAFF,
check out “Disaster information”, “Reverse lookup
dictionary” and support measures related todisaster prevention/reduction.

FY2020 Measures for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas
Summary• Policy priorities, fiscal measures, legislative actions, tax measures, monetary measures
I

Measures to maintain and improve Japan's food self-sufficiency ratio and potential• Initiatives to maintain and improve Japan's food self-sufficiency ratio and potential• Measures to realize the production targets for each major item

II

Measures for securing a stable supply of food• Exploration of demand through the creation of new values• Strategic exploration of global market• Deepening of the connection between consumers and food and agriculture• Securing food safety compatible with international trends and securing consumer confidence• Establishing comprehensive food security in anticipation of food supply risks• Response to a new international environment, such as TPP and strategic reactions to international
negotiations

III

Measures for sustainable development of agriculture• Development of/securing business farmers for realizing a strong and sustainable agricultural
structure• Active participation of diverse human resources and entities that support agricultural sites• Consolidation of farmland to business farmers and securing farmland• Promotion of initiatives towards stabilization of agricultural management• Development of an agricultural production base that contributes to the transformation ofagriculture into a growth industry and strengthening national resilience• Strengthening of the production bases compatible with changes in the demand structure, etc., andstreamlining of distribution/processing structures• Promotion of innovations at agricultural production/distribution sites by utilizing information andcommunication technologies, etc.
• Promotion of environmental policy, such as responses to climate changeIV

Measures for promotion of rural areas• Securing income and employment opportunities by utilizing local resources• Improvement of conditions necessary for people to continue to live in rural areas including hilly
and mountainous areas• Creation of new movements and vitality to support rural areas• Development of a collaborative system of related ministries and agencies to continuously promotemeasures in line with the above three items

V

Measures for restoration/reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and large-scale
natural disasters• Restoration/Reconstruction from Great East Japan Earthquake• Preparedness for large-scale natural disasters• Restoration from large-scale natural disasters

VI

Measures for groups

VII Measures for forming a national consensus through the expansion of national movements onfood and agriculture
VIII Response to new infectious diseases including novel coronavirus infections
IX

Matters necessary for comprehensively and systematically promoting measures for food,agriculture and rural areas

36

Definitions
1. Confusing terms

Production value, income
PurposeTerm

Statistical data <source>

To know the total value of sales ofagricultural products produced in Japan

Total agricultural
output

9.1 trillion yen (2018)

To know the value added of agricultural
products produced in Japan, or theirsales value minus the costs for
agricultural production

Agricultural
production income

3.5 trillion yen (2018)

Gross agricultural
production

5.7 trillion yen (2018)

To compare the value added byagriculture as part of gross domestic
product (GDP) with values in otherindustries and foreign countries• Total agricultural output:<Statistics of Agricultural
Income Produced><Statistics of Agricultural
Income Produced><National accounts>

Final products output × Prices

Depreciation
cost

income: 3.5 trillion yen

Indirecttax• Agricultural production

Current
subsidies9.1 trillion yen
Materials costs(Fertilizers, agrichemicals,
energy, etc.)

The costs for agricultural production• Gross agricultural

Materials costs(Fertilizers, agrichemicals,
energy, etc.)

production: 5.7 trillion yen

Total agricultural output + Intermediate products (seeds, feed
and forage crops, etc.) + Agricultural services (fruit sorting, etc.)

Agriculture management entities
PurposeTerm

Statistical data <source>

To know the number of entities engaged inagricultural production or agricultural work
under contract

1.19 million entities (2019)
Agriculture<Survey on Movement ofmanagement entities*1

To know the number of households engaged
in agriculture

Family management 1.15 million entities (2019)<Survey on Movement ofentities*1
Agricultural Structure>

Agricultural Structure>

To know the number of households producing
mainly agricultural products for sales out offarm households

Commercial farmhouseholds*2

To know the number of agriculture businesscompanies,
community-based
farmcooperatives, etc.

Organized
management entities*1*1: See Definitions 2 (1)*2: See Definitions 2 (2)37

1.13 million households(2019)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>

40,000 entities (2019)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>

Farm households
PurposeStatistical data <source>Term

To know the number of all farm households
including those producing agricultural
products for their own consumption
To know the number of households producing
agricultural products mainly for sales

2.16 million households (2015)

Farm households*1

To know the number of households whose
head is younger than 65 years old and whose
main income is from agriculture
To know the number of farm households
having no non-agricultural job holders(without any age limit)
To know the number of farm households
including non-agricultural job holders (without
any age limit)
To know the number of farm households
producing agricultural products mainly for
their own consumption<Census of Agriculture andForestry 2015>

Commercial farmhouseholds*1

1.13 million households (2019)

Business farmhouseholds*1

0.24 million households (2019)

Full-time farmhouseholds*1

0.37 million households (2019)

Part-time farmhouseholds*1

0.76 million households (2019)

Noncommercial
farm households*1

0.83 million households (2015)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure><Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure><Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure><Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure><Census of Agriculture andForestry 2015>

Members of commercial farm households
PurposeTerm

To know the number of farm household
members who worked as self-employedfarmers for one day or more per year

Household members
engaged in own farming*2

To know the number of farm household
members who worked mainly as selfemployed farmers (including housewives
engaged mainly in housework andchildcare, students, etc.)

Population mainly
engaged in farming*2

To know the number of farm household
members who usually worked mainly as
self-employedfarmers(excluding
housewives engaged mainly in houseworkand childcare, students, etc.)

Statistical data <source>
2.76 million persons (2019)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>

1.68 million persons (2019)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>

Core persons mainly
engaged in farming*2

1.40 million persons (2019)<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>

Employed farmers
PurposeTerm

Statistical data <source>

To know the number of persons employed
as farmers for a long term (seven months or
more)Permanently hired
worker on farm*2

0.24 million persons (2019)

To know the number of persons employed
as farmers for a short term (temporarily)

Temporary hired
worker on farm*2

2.35 million persons (2019)*1: See Definitions 2 (2)*2: See Definitions 2 (4)38<Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure><Survey on Movement ofAgricultural Structure>2. Basic statistical terminology(1) Classification of agriculture management entities (definitions used since the Census of Agriculture
and Forestry 2005)
Terminology
Definition
Agriculture management
An establishment that performs agricultural production either directly or on contract
entitiesand fulfills one of the following conditions: (1) manages 30 ares or more cultivatedland, (2) possesses a planted area or cultivated area or a number of livestock being
raised or delivered that is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard (e.g., 15
ares for outdoor grown vegetables, 350 square meters for vegetables grown in facilities,
one cow), (3) accepts farm work on contract. (Censuses from 1990, 1995 and 2000
regard agriculture management entities as the combination of commercial farmhouseholds, agricultural holdings other than a farm household, and agricultural service
enterprises.)
Family management
Individual management entities (farm household) or a single-household corporation
entities(a farm household that is incorporated).
Organized
Agriculture management entities that do not fall under family management entities.
management entities
Single farming entities
Entities whose main agricultural product sales account for 80% or more of income
from all agriculture product sales.
Semi-multiple farming
Entities whose main agricultural product sales account for 60% to less than 80% ofentities
income from all agriculture product sales.
Multiple farming entities
Entities whose main agricultural product sales account for less than 60% of income
from all agriculture product sales (excluding the management entities without any
sales).
(2) Classification of farm households (definitions used since the 1990 World Census of Agriculture andForestry)
Terminology
Definition
Farm household
Household engaged in farming and managing cultivated land of 10 ares or more, or
earning 150,000 yen or more per year from sales of agricultural products.
Commercial farm
Farm household managing cultivated land of 30 ares or more, or earning 500,000
householdyen or more per year from sales of agricultural products.
Business farm
Farm household whose main source of income (50% or more) is farming, and whichhouseholdpossesses at least one family member under the age of 65 who is engaged in selfemployed farming for 60 days or more a year.
Semi-business
Farm household whose main income (50% or more) is from sources other thanfarm household
agriculture and which possess at least one family member under the age of 65 who isengaged in self-employed farming for 60 days or more a year.
Side-business farm
Farm household without any members under the age of 65 engaged in self-employedhouseholdfarming for 60 days or more a year (farm households other than business and semibusiness farm households).
Full-time farm
A farm household without family members who are part-time farmers.
householdPart-time farm
A farm household with one or more members who are part-time farmers.
household
Farm household
A part-time farm household earning more income from farming than from others
earning mainincome fromfarming
Farm household
A part-time farm household earning more income from non-farming jobs than from
earning main
farming
income fromother jobs
Noncommercial farm
A farm household managing cultivated land of less than 30 ares, and earning lesshouseholdthan 500,000 yen per year from sales of agricultural products.
Agricultural holding
A holding other than farm household managing cultivated land of 10 ares or more,other than farmor earning 150,000 yen or more per year from sales of agricultural products.
household
Agricultural services
An enterprise conducting farm work on contract (including enterprise other thanenterprise
agricultural holding, specializing in production and sale of seedlings).
Land tenure non-farm
A household other than a farm household possessing 5 ares or more in cultivated landhouseholdand abandoned cultivated land39

(3) Farm household economics
Terminology
Definition
Total income
Agricultural income + Income of business related to agricultural production + Nonagricultural income + Income from pensions, etc.
Agricultural income
Agricultural gross income (total income from farming) – Agricultural expenditures(all expenses necessary for farming)
Income of business
Gross income of business related to agricultural production (gross income from
related to agriculturalbusinesses such as agricultural processing, farm-inns, restaurants and tourist farms,
production
which are related to agriculture and managed by individuals engaged in farming) –Expenditures of business related to agricultural production (expenditures such as laborand material costs required for the aforementioned businesses)
Non-agricultural income
Non-agricultural gross income (e.g., gross income from independent part-time
nonagricultural businesses, salaries and wages) – Non-agricultural expenditures(e.g., expenditures for independent part-time non-agricultural businesses,
transportation expenditures for commuting)
Production cost
The production cost is the total cost (combining material and labor costs) for
production of farm products minus by-product values.
Material cost
Liquid goods costs expended for producing agricultural products (seeding,fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, heating, lighting, power and other materials costs)+ Depreciation costs for fixed goods (depreciable assets including buildings,
automobiles, agricultural machines and production management equipment)
Family labor cost
The family labor cost is calculated by multiplying family working hours by anaverage hourly wage as computed based on wage data for business establishmentswith five to 29 workers in the construction, manufacturing and transportation/postal
industries in the Monthly Labor Survey Report (by the Ministry of Health, Labour andWelfare).
Equity capital interest
The equity capital interest is calculated by multiplying equity capital – gross capitalminus debt capital – by an annual interest rate of 4%.
Rent for owned land
The rent for owned land is based on a rent for similar farmlands (having capabilities
similar to the farmland for a crop subject to the survey) within the same region.

Core persons
mainly engagedin farming

(1)
(2)

Population
mainly engagedin farming

Household members engagedin own farming

Engaged mainly
in work
Other (housework, school, etc.)

Status during regular hours(4) Agricultural labor by farm household members
Involvement in farming
Engaged only Engaged in bothNotin farming
farming and other engaged in
Mainly Mainly farming
farming other(3)

Household member
As a rule, people who live and earn a living
together(1) Core persons mainly engaged in farming
Among household members involved inself-employed farming (population engaged
mainly in farming), those who are working
mainly in agriculture during regular hours.
(2) Population mainly engaged in farming
Persons engaged only in self-employedfarming, or persons who are also engaged inwork other than farming but spend more timeengaged in farming on a yearly basis.
(3) Household members engaged in own farming
Household members 15 years old and over
who are engaged in self-employed farming for
one day or more per year.
Full-time farmers
Among persons engaged in mainly farming,
those who are engaged in self-employedfarming for 150 days or more per year

Permanently
Refers to workers hired mainly for farm management with an employment agreement (including
hired worker on verbal agreement) covering a period of seven months or more (including the workers hired
farm
regardless of an employment period).

40Temporary hired Refers to day and/or seasonal workers hired on a temporary basis for farm management
worker on farm (including mutual help among farm households (labor exchange) and assistants (labor accepted forfree)), but not including the laborers employed under a partial farm work contract.
It includes cases in which workers are hired mainly for non-farm management work but engagedin farm management during the busy season, as well as those who had an employment agreement
for seven months or longer but quit before reaching seven months.

Employed in other work

Engaged in houseworkand child rearing / Other

Status before farming

Student(5) Newcomers in agriculture (definition used in the survey on Newcomers in Agriculture)
Type of involvement in farming
Newcomers in agriculture
MainlyEmployed full- Just entering
Defined as individuals who fulfill one of theengaged intime byfarming
following conditions:agriculture as corporations,(1) New self-employed farmers
self-employed etc.
Members of family management entities
whose living status has changed anytime within
Entrants to farming soona year of the survey date from “student” orafter graduation from
“employed in other work” to “new graduate who
schoolhas become a farmer” or “a new farmer whochanged occupations”.
(2) New employed farmers
New selfNew
New
Persons engaged in farming who have been
employed
employedentries
hired by corporations anytime within a year of
the survey date and work for their employers forfarmers
farmers
7 months or more a year.
(3) New entries
Persons responsible for farming started
anytime within a year of the survey date by
securing land and funds on their own, and their(1)
partners(2)(3)

Entrants to farming soon after graduation fromschoolNew self-employed farmers who have changed
their status from “student” to “engaged mainly infarming”, as well as new employed farmers who
were recently students.

(6) Classification of agriculture area
Terminology
Definition
Classification ofClassification of present and former cities, wards, towns, and villages (hereinafter
agriculture area
referred to as “municipalities”) based on fundamental conditions (e.g., cultivated, forestand grazing land shares, farmland gradients) that define the structure of regional
agriculture
Category
Standard index (fulfills one of the following conditions)
Urban area
- Present and former municipalities where the DID’s share of habitable land is 5% ormore with a population density of 500 persons per square kilometer or more or a DID
population of 20,000 or more.
- Present and former municipalities where the residential area’s share of habitable land
is 60% or more with a population density of 500 persons per square kilometer or more.
Regions with forest and grazing land’s share of 80% or more are excluded.
Flat farming area
- Present and former municipalities where cultivated land accounts for 20% or more of
the total area with forest and grazing land accounting for less than 50% of the total
area. However, areas where all paddy fields with gradients of 1/20 or more and all
upland fields with gradients of 8° or more account for 90% or more of the total area
are excluded.
- Present and former municipalities where cultivated land accounts for 20% or more of
the total area, with forest and grazing land accounting for 50% or more of the total
area and with all paddy fields with gradients of 1/20 or more and all upland fields withgradients of 8° or more accounting for less than 10% of the total area.

41

Hilly farming area

- Present and former municipalities where cultivated land accounts for less than 20% of
the total area, other than urban and mountainous farming areas.
- Present and former municipalities where cultivated land accounts for 20% or more of
the total area, other than urban and flat farming areas.
Mountainous- Present and former municipalities where forest and grazing land accounts for 80% or
farming area
more of the total area, with cultivated land accounting for less than 10% of the total
area.
Notes: 1) Order of priority: Urban area → Mountainous farming area → Flat and hilly farming area
2) As a rule, DID (Densely Inhabited Districts) are defined as areas where basic district units, as defined by
the national census, with populations densities of 4,000 per km2 or more are adjacent to each other and thetotal population of these conjoined districts is 5,000 or more.
3) Gradient refers not to the gradient of cultivated land per parcel, but to the main topographical gradient asgrouped land.
4) The combination of the hilly and mountainous farming area categories is referred to as hilly andmountainous area.
5) Former municipalities are those that were classified as municipalities as of February 1, 1950.
(7) Agricultural regions nationwide
Agricultural region Prefecture
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
TohokuHokuriku
Kanto/Tosan
Northern Kanto
Southern Kanto
Tosan
Tokai

Agricultural region
Kinki

Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi,
Chugoku
Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima
Sanin
Sanyo
Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Shikoku
Fukui
KyushuIbaraki, Tochigi, Gunma
Northern Kyushu
Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo,
Kanagawa
Southern Kyushu
Yamanashi, Nagano
Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie
Okinawa

Prefecture
Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo,
Nara, Wakayama
Tottori, Shimane
Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi
Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime,
Kochi
Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki,
Kumamoto, Oita
Miyazaki, Kagoshima
Okinawa

3. Basic terminology
A
AFFrinnovation

African swine fever

Agricultural irrigation
facilities

AI
ASEAN

AFFrinnovation which means initiatives for agriculture, forestry and fisheries operators
to voluntarily cooperate with others to comprehensively and integrally promoteagriculture, forestry and fisheries as the primary industry, manufacturing as the secondary
industry and retailing as the tertiary industry to utilize regional resources for producing
new added value.
African swine fever is an infectious disease caused by African swine fever (ASF) virus
for swine and wild boars. It is a highly fatal disease featuring fever and whole-bodyhemorrhagic lesions. There is no effective vaccine or therapy for this disease. It is seen
chronically in Africa and has been identified in Russia and its vicinity. In August 2018,
China became the first Asian country to identify an African swine fever epidemic. Since
then, the disease spread in Asia. Japan has remained free from the disease, having
identified no epidemic. ASF virus does not infect humans.
These facilities are roughly divided into two types: irrigation facilities for providing
irrigation water for farmlands and sewerage facilities for discharging surplus surface andsoil water in farmlands. Irrigation facilities include dams and other water storage facilities,
water intake facilities such as weirs, drains, pumping facilities, circular tank diversion
works, farm ponds and other water supply and distribution facilities. Sewerage facilities
include drainage canals and drainage pump stations. In addition, there are water control
facilities to monitor, control and operate irrigation and sewerage facilities.
AI stands for artificial intelligence, referring to computer systems that have human
intelligence functions including learning, inference and judgment.
ASEAN stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN was
established in the Thai capital of Bangkok in 1967 for cooperation in addressing the

42

ASF
ASIAGAPB
BCP

promotion of economic growth, and social and cultural development, the achievement ofpolitical and economic stability and other challenges in Southeast Asia. Upon its
establishment, it consisted of five countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand. Brunei acceded to ASEAN in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos andMyanmar in 1997 and Cambodia in 1999. ASEAN now thus comprises 10 countries.
Prompted by the 1997 Asian currency crisis, Japan, China, South Korea and ASEAN haveformed the ASEAN+3 framework for cooperation in East Asia.
ASF stands for African swine fever. For details, refer to African swine fever.
Refer to JGAP/ASIAGAP.

BCP stands for business continuity plan, meaning a plan to secure the continuation of
key operations even in the event of risks such as disasters. It is also a peacetime plan tostrategically prepare for restoring key operations within a target time and minimizing riskseven if business operations are suspended.
Big data
Big data represent a massive, structurally complex data group that has the potential toproduce new values through analysis of relationships between data.
Biomass
Biomass means organic resources of flora and fauna origin, excluding fossil resources.
Biomass is made by organisms that create organic matter from inorganic water and CO2
through photosynthesis using solar energy falling on the earth. These types of resources
are renewable throughout its life cycle as long as there are organisms and solar energy.
Business plan approved These business plans are for agriculture, forestry and fishery business operators tounder theintegrate the production of agriculture, forestry and fisheries products and by-products
AFFrinnovation act(including biomass) with their processing or sales to improve their operations under the
Act on Promotion of the "Sixth Industry" to Create New Value Added Using Agricultural
Products in Rural Areas (AFFrinnovation Act).
C
Calorie supply (Calorie
Calorie supply refers to the total amount of calories from food that is supplied to theintake)public, and calorie intake refers to the total amount of calories actually consumed by the
public. As a rule, the value for calorie supply is taken from the Food Balance Sheet issued
by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, while the value for calorie intake
is taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey issued by the
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. It is necessary to keep in mind that calculations
for both values are entirely different, since the calorie supply value includes food residue
emerging inevitably in food industry processes, home food leftovers, etc.
Certified farmer
The certified farmer system certifies plans for improving agricultural management(system)drafted by farmers to attain targets for efficient and stable farm management in basic plans
prepared by municipal governments to meet their respective conditions under the
Agricultural Management Framework Reinforcement Act. For certified farmers, or those
whose plans have been certified, various measures are primarily implemented, including
low interest financing from the Super L loan system and other programs, measures tofacilitate farmland consolidation and infrastructure improvement efforts to support
business farmers.
Classical swine fever
Classical swine fever is an infectious disease caused by classical swine fever (CSF)
virus for swine and wild boars. It develops symptoms such as fever, anorexia andprostration, featuring strong propagation and high fatality. The disease is still seen
throughout the world including Asia. Japan eliminated the disease in 2007 before
encountering its first epidemic in 26 years in September 2018. The disease infects swine
and wild boars but not humans.
Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an international intergovernmental
Commission
organization created by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) andthe World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963 to secure the protection of consumer healthand fair food trade. It develops the Codex Alimentarius. Japan joined the commission in
1966.
Community-based farm Farm cooperatives consist of farming households in certain regions that have developed
cooperatives
relations through local communities or other geographical bases. Cooperative member
households conduct joint agricultural production. These cooperatives’ forms andoperations vary depending on regional conditions. Their operations range from theaggregation of diverted paddy fields and the communal use of communally purchasedmachines to joint production and sales in which farming leaders play a central role.

43

Crop condition index

CSF
D
Dilapidated farmland

Direct seeding (paddy
rice)E
Ecofeed
EPA/FTA

Externalization of diet

The index indicates rice crop conditions, taking the form of a percentage ratio of a(forecast) yield per 10 ares to a standard yield per 10 ares. The standard yield per 10 ares
is a yield per 10 ares anticipated before annual planting, based on average-year
meteorological conditions and disaster incidence, the recent advancement of cultivation
technologies and the recent actual yield trend.
CSF stands for classical swine fever. For details, refer to classical swine fever.
A dilapidated farmland is a farmland that has been left uncultivated and dilapidated dueto the abandonment of cultivation and is viewed objectively as unable to be used for
growing crops with conventional farming methods.
Direct seeding, where rice seeds are directly scattered into paddies, can skip seedlingraising and transplanting steps required for the conventional practices includingtransplanting. There are various direct seeding methods, which are roughly divided into
two groups – flooded direct seeding where seeds are scattered into flooded paddies after
plowing and soil puddling, and dry direct seeding where seeds are scattered into nonflooded paddies.
Ecofeed is feed that makes effective use of food residual, etc., representing a
combination of ecological or economical and feed.
EPA stands for Economic Partnership Agreement and FTA for Free Trade Agreement.
An FTA is a treaty between particular countries or regions created for the purpose of
reducing and repealing tariffs on goods and services trade barriers. An EPA is a treaty that
adds rules on investment and protection of intellectual property to the basic contents of an
FTA in order to enhance a wider range of economic relations. Under the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), member countries are allowed to liberalize tradewith EPA or FTA partners as an exception to most-favored nation status on the following
conditions: (1) “abolishment of tariffs and other restrictive trade regulations” for“essentially all trade”, (2) abolishing such practices within a reasonable time frame (as arule, within 10 years), and (3) refraining from enhancing tariffs and other trade barriers
for nations other than EPA or FTA partners (under Article 24 and other sections of GATT).
Against the backdrop of increasing double-income and single-member households,
population aging and diversified lifestyles, people have tended to depend on non-homecooking and meals. Amid this tendency, the food industry has provided home-meal
replacements such as prepared food, ready-made dishes and boxed lunches and exploredtheir markets. This trend is called the externalization of diet. → See “home meal
replacement.”

F
Family businessagreement

A family business agreement is a written arrangement that clarifies business plans, eachfamily member’s role, working conditions, etc., for a farming family based on talks
between family members. This agreement clarifies the roles of farming family members
including women and successors, allowing a farming family to become subject to thepreferential treatment of farmer annuity insurance premiums and file joint applications forthe certified farmer system.
Farmland concentration Farmland concentration means owning or leasing farmland to expand farmland forand intensification
utilization. Farmland intensification means exchanging farmland use rights to eliminate
farmland dispersion and allow farming to be conducted continuously without difficulty.
FGAP
FGAP (Fukushima GAP) is a system developed by Fukushima Prefecture in conformity
with MAFF’s guideline on a common GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) base, providing
details of radioactive material measures as the prefecture’s original standard.
Food domestic
production ratio

Food security

Food domestic production ratio is the percentage share of domestic production in foodprovided in the country. It is an index used for evaluating the situations of domestic
production, reflecting the activities of the domestic livestock industry regardless of theorigin of the feed, whether the feed is produced domestically or imported from overseas.
The ratio is calculated including the portions domestically produced using imported feedin domestic production.
As for food security in Japan, the Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas Basic Act states,“Even in the case that domestic supply is insufficient to meet demand or is likely to be fora certain period，due to unexpected situations such as a bad harvest or interrupted imports,
the minimum food supply required for the people shall be secured in order not to be a44

Food self-sufficiency
potential

hindrance to the stability of peoples' lives and smooth operation of the national economy.”
As for global food security, meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
states, “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social andeconomic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs andfood preferences for an active and healthy life.” This widely accepted definition points tothe following four dimensions of food security: the availability of sufficient quantities offood of appropriate quality, supplied through domestic production or imports (foodavailability), the legal, political, economic and social entitlements of individuals to accessfoods for a nutritious diet (food access), utilization of food through adequate diet, cleanwater, sanitation and health care to reach a state of nutritional well-being where allphysiological needs are met (utilization), and stable access to adequate food at all times
for a population household or individual (stability).
This concept expresses the potential capacity of food production in the Japanese
agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. The components of the food self-sufficiency
potential for agricultural production are agricultural resources such as farmland andirrigation systems, agricultural technology, and people engaged in farming. The
components of the food self-sufficiency potential for fishery production are potential
production volume and people engaged in fishery.
- Food self-sufficiency potential indicator
This indicator shows the amount of calories supplied from food by fully utilizing thepotential production capacity of Japan such as agricultural resources, people engaged infarming, and agricultural technology.
Based on the premise that calorie efficiency is maximized, this indicator shows the amountof calories which could be supplied per person per day in the Japanese agriculture, forestry
and fisheries sector. The indicator is comprised of the two patterns below. It also expresses
the amount of calories which could be supplied that reflects the ratio of the total working
hours of existing workforce to the working hours necessary for the production in eachpattern (labor fill rate).
(Pattern A) When rice and wheat are mainly cultivated by maximizing the calorie
efficiency with consideration to nutritional balance(Pattern B) When potatoes are mainly cultivated by maximizing the calorie efficiency withconsideration to nutritional balance

Food self-sufficiency
ratioThis index indicates the percentage share of domestic production in the total supply offood in Japan.
- Self-sufficiency ratio for individual items: The following formula is used to calculate theself-sufficiency ratio on a weight basis for individual items

Food self-sufficiency ratio calculation formulaSelf-sufficiency ratio for individual items ＝＝Domestic production volume
Supply for domestic consumption

Domestic production volume
Domestic production volume + Import volume - Export volume ± Fluctuations in inventory- Total food self-sufficiency ratio: This ratio is an index for the total volume of food, andis expressed in both calorie basis and production value basis. Products made fromdomestic livestock raised with imported feed are not included in calculations.
- Total food self-sufficiency ratio on calorie supply basis: Calculated by dividing the value
for the sum of the domestic calorie supply per person per day by the value for the calorie
supply per person per day. In deriving the calorie supply, weight values for each item areconverted to calories using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 (Seventh Revised Edition), after which the calories of all items are totaled.

45

- Total food self-sufficiency ratio on production value basis: Calculated by dividing thesum of the domestic production value of food by the total food supply value for domestic
consumption. In deriving the monetary values, weight values are converted to production
values using farm gate prices and import prices from domestic agricultural price andtrade statistics, after which all production values are totaled.
- Feed self-sufficiency rate: This index indicates the percentage share of domestic feed
(excluding feed produced with imported materials used) in feed supplied to livestock,calculated in terms of total digestible nutrients (TDN) based on the Standard Tables ofFeed Composition in Japan (2009).
G
GAP

Genetic resources

Genome editing
GFSI

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are management activities in the agricultural
production process to ensure various components of sustainability including food safety,
environmental conservation and worker safety.
Genetic resources are materials from all living things including plants, animals, andmicroorganisms that have actual or potential value. For example, they include crops usedas materials for breeding (including not only the latest varieties but also old varieties andthose that are not clearly useful but considered potentially useful.)
A technique to efficiently modify the genes of a living form by, for example, cutting thetarget section of a genome using an enzyme that serves as a pair of “scissors”.
GFSI stands for Global Food Safety Initiative, referring to an organization of globally
operating food companies for implementing various initiatives to improve food safety andenhance consumer confidence in food products. It was established in May 2000 as a
subsidiary of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), an international organization of about
400 manufacturers, retailers and service providers from 70 countries.

GLOBALG.A.P.

GLOBALG.A.P. is a GAP certification program with third-party audit established byGermany’s FoodPLUS GmbH. Its fruit and vegetables standard and aquaculture standard
are GFSI-recognized. This program has been diffused mainly in Europe.
GNSS/GPS
GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, referring to a positioning systemthat uses satellites to accurately locate any position in the world. GPS stands for Global
Positioning System as one of the GNSS systems.
Greenhouse gas (GHG)
Greenhouse gases heat the earth’s surface by absorbing and radiating a portion of
infrared radiation reflected from the ground. The Kyoto Protocol designates carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4, generated from rice paddies and final waste disposal sites),
dinitrogen monoxide (N2O, generated during the process of manufacturing some raw
ingredients for chemical products and from livestock waste), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs,
used as coolants for air conditioning devices), perfluorocarbons (PFCs, used in the
production of semiconductors), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6, used in the production ofsemiconductors) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3, used in the production of semiconductors;
added in the second commitment period) as greenhouse gases that should be reduced.
H
HACCP
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a process management system
in which food safety for each process is addressed through the analysis and control ofbiological, chemical and physical hazards by continually monitoring and recording toguarantee the CCPs in control.
Highly Pathogenic
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a kind of Avian Influenza that is highly
Avian Influenza (HPAI) fatal to poultry. When poultry are infected with HPAI, they show general symptoms suchas neurological, respiratory and digestive ones, and many of them die. In Japan, there has
not been any case reported where humans were infected with HPAI through eating chicken
eggs or meat.
Home meal
Home meal replacements are between eating out at restaurants and preparing meals at
replacement
home. They include commercially sold lunch boxes, ready-to-eat dishes and foods cooked
and processed outside home that are consumed at home, school, workplace, etc., without
cooking. These meals are perishable.
I
ICT
ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology, which is a collective term
for technologies related to information and communication.
Idle farmland
An idled farmland meets either of the two items in Article 32, paragraph 1 of theAgricultural Land Act. The first item cites a farmland that is unused for cultivation and is

46

IoT

J
JFS

JGAP/ASIAGAP

L
Local consumption of
local products

N
NPO

O
OIE

R
Replotted land

Rural community

S
Sustainable
development goals(SDGs)

expected to remain unused for the purpose. The second cites a farmland that is used far
less than other farmlands in the vicinity.
IoT stands for Internet of Things, meaning that various things in the world are connected
through the Internet to exchange information for automatic recognition, automatic control,
remote control, etc.
The JFS standards are food safety management standards with third-party audit
developed by the Japan Food Safety Management Association (JFSM). JFS wasrecognized by GFSI in October 2018.
Both JGAP and ASIAGAP are GAP certification programs established by the JapanGAP Foundation with third-party audit. JGAP covers fruit and vegetables, grains, tea, andlivestock, while ASIAGAP covers fruit and vegetables, grains and tea. ASIAGAP wasrecognized by GFSI in October 2018.
This is an initiative for agriculture, forestry or fishery products (limited to foodproducts) produced in domestic regions to be consumed in those regions. The initiative
contributes to improving the food self-sufficiency ratio and to promoting AFFrinnovation
through farmers’ markets and processing operations.
NPO stands for non-profit organization. These organizations perform various activities
to contribute to society and do not distribute profits to their members. NPOs are expected
to play an important role in responding to diversified needs of society in various areas(including welfare, education, culture, community building, ecology and international
cooperation). Organizations that have been incorporated through the Act to Promote
Specified Nonprofit Activities are called corporations engaging in specified non-profit
activities and are allowed to open bank accounts and lease office spaces under theirrespective organization titles.
OIE stands for Office International des Epizooties in French, which is currently called
the World Organisation for Animal Health. It is an intergovernmental organization
founded in 1924 to improve animal health. As of the end of May 2019, the number of OIE
member countries and regions stands at 182. Japan acceded to the OIE in 1930. OIE's
activities include provision of technical support for animal health-related issues (e.g.,prevention of animal diseases such as ASF, measures against drug resistance) andestablishment of international standards on animal/livestock products trading and animal
welfare.
Replotted land is land deemed as land before readjustment or development (traditionalland) under the allocation of replotted land for a project to readjust land or develop
farmland to change farmland boundaries and shapes. The allocation of replotted land is anadministrative action to fix new land after readjustment or development (replotted land)
replacing land before readjustment or development (traditional land) and take some legal
procedures to deem the replotted land as land before readjustment or development(traditional land).
The rural community is a fundamental regional unit where households are connectedby local and family ties for farming or utilization of farming water in some municipal
localities. These communities have close relationships for a wide range of activities
including maintenance and management of irrigation facilities, use of farming equipment,
and marriages and funerals. They have developed many characteristic traditions andfunction as autonomous or administrative units.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the entire international community’s
development goals for 2030, adopted unanimously at a United Nations Summit in
September 2015. There are 17 SDGs including those for the eradication of famine andpoverty, economic growth and employment, and climate change countermeasures. The
SDGs are non-binding goals urging each country to take voluntary actions commensuratewith its conditions.
Japan created the SDGs Promotion Headquarters under a Cabinet decision in May 2016
to implement the SDGs. The headquarters decided on the SDGs Implementation

47

Guideline spelling out Japan’s vision and priorities for implementing the SDGs in
December 2016 and the SDGs Action Plan 2018 including the direction and major
initiatives for providing Japan’s SDGs models in December 2017.
V
Value chainW“WASHOKU;
traditional dietarycultures of theJapanese”

WCS rice

WTO

A value chain is a process of adding value at each step of production, processing,
distribution and sales that are organically connected to each other.
In December 2013, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) registered “WASHOKU; traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese” as a
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. “WASHOKU” is the Japanese diet practice basedon the Japanese people’s spirit of “respecting nature,” featuring (1) various fresh
ingredients and respect for their natural flavors, (2) a nutritional balance that supports
healthy diets, (3) emphasis on the beauty of nature and seasonal changes in thepresentation, and (4) deep ties to New Year's and other regular annual events.
WCS stands for whole crop silage, meaning a feed that is made by harvesting berries,
stems and leaves integrally for lactic fermentation. WCS rice is produced for WCS for
livestock, contributing to the effective utilization of rice paddies and the improvement of
the feed self-sufficiency ratio.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization established in
January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round negotiations, which has dealt with theglobal rules of trade. The WTO is aimed at securing that trade flows as smoothly as
possible by lowering trade barriers through negotiations among member governments.
The WTO is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements and settle tradedisputes. The headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland.

4. Multifunctional roles of agriculture, forestry and fisheries(1) Agriculture
Flood prevention byretention and storage ofrainwater
Landslide prevention

Function to prevent/alleviate flood by temporarily collecting rainwater in paddy
fields surrounded by ridges and cultivated field soil.

Function to prevent slope failure by detecting and repairing the failure offarmlands at an early stage through agricultural production activities in sloping
farmlands, or to prevent landslides by holding down sudden rises in the
groundwater level by allowing rainwater to permeate slowly underground throughthe cultivation of fields.
Soil erosion prevention
Function to prevent the erosion of soil caused by rainwater and wind, with thesurface of water covering paddy fields or with the foliage and stems of crops infields.
Watershed capabilities
Rainwater and agricultural water for paddy fields seep underground and overtime returns to the river, and water that seeps further below cultivates undergroundwatersheds.
Water purification
Water purification is achieved by the decomposition of organic material in paddy
and dry fields, the absorption of nitrogen by crops, and the removal of nitrogen by
microorganisms.
Decomposition of organic
Microorganisms within paddy and dry fields such as bacteria decompose
waste
livestock waste and compost made from household waste. The decomposedmaterial is eventually reabsorbed by crops.
Climate change mitigation
Crops growing on cropland absorb heat through transpiration and paddy fields
absorb heat through water evaporation, resulting in lower climate temperatures.
Conservation of biodiversity
Rice paddies and upland fields are properly and sustainably managed to form
and maintain a secondary natural environment with ecosystems rich in plants,
insects and animals, etc., to secure biodiversity.
Formation of a good
Agricultural activities combined with farmland, old farmhouses, surrounding
landscapewater sources and mountains create attractive natural landscapes.
Maintenance of cultural
Japan features many annual events and festivals which trace their origins to
traditionprayers for rich harvests. Agriculture plays a role in passing on these traditions tofuture generations.

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(2) Forestry
Conservation of biodiversity
Conservation of the global
environment
Prevention of landslidedisasters and conservationof soil
Watershed capabilities
Formation of comfortableenvironments
Benefits for health andrecreation
CultureMaterial production

Forests inhabited by a wide variety of plants and animals contribute toconserving the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems.
Forests can adjust the natural environment on a global scale throughtranspiration and absorption of CO2 which causes global warming.
Brush, fallen leaves and branches suppress soil erosion, and the network of roots
from forest trees prevents landslides.
Forest soil mitigates floods and stabilizes river flow by storing rainwater andmoderating the volume of water running into rivers.
Forests help form comfortable environments by moderating climate throughtranspiration, reducing wind shear and noise, adsorbing dust through tree crowns
and alleviating the heat island phenomenon.
Trees release volatile substances such as phytoncides that are known to directly
improve health, and forests provide areas for sports and leisure.
As a foundation for the succession of culture and traditions, forest scenery plays
a vital role in the shaping of the traditional Japanese outlook on nature, and theyalso provide a place for forest environment education and practical learning.
The ability of forests to produce a wide variety of materials including wood,
extracts and various types of fungi(3) Fisheries
Supplementary
An appropriate level of fishery can help recycle nitrogen and phosphorus absorbed
contributions of fishery to by marine wildlife through the food chain to land.
the nitrogen andphosphorus cycle
Conservation of coastal
Bivalve shellfish such as oysters and clams filter and purify seawater by feeding
environmentson organic suspension such as plankton.
Water purification
Mudflats and seaweed beds, and plants and animals that inhabit them purify
seawater by decomposing organic matter, absorbing nutrient salts and carbon
dioxide gas, and supplying oxygen.
Preservation ofAppropriate fishery operations can contribute to preserving mudflats, seaweed
ecosystems
beds and other ecosystems that provide inhabitation environments for a wide variety
of water creatures.
Transfer of cultural assets
Cultural assets such as traditional fishing practices are passed down to futuresuch as traditional fishing generations through the activities of people living in fishing villages.
practices
Rescue operations in the
Fishery workers help emergency rescue operations when ships sink, capsize,
event of marine
become stranded, go adrift, collide or catch fire.
emergencies
Rescue operations in the
Fishery workers conduct emergency operations such as supply transportation andevent of disasters
oil recovery during natural catastrophes, oil tanker accidents and other disasters.
Monitoring of coastal
The fisheries monitor abnormalities in coastal environments. For example, fisheryenvironments
workers assist in early detection of red tides, blue tides and jellyfish outbreaks.
Border monitoring
Activities to monitor illegal poaching of precious marine resources also protect
the national interest by preventing smuggling and illegal immigration.
Functions related to
The marine industry can provide places for leisure such as marine recreation
providing places forfacilities and places to learn the importance of nature.
exchange49