- It has been pointed out that the global food supply-demand problem could potentially become more serious in the long and medium terms because of various factors of instability. Improvement of the food self-sufficiency ratio is important to ensure food security. Promoting understanding of the present condition of the food self-sufficiency ratio and the significance of its improvement is of prime importance.

• In the Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, the target food self-sufficiency ratio in FY2015 is defined as 45% on a calorie basis and 76% on a production value basis.

• The process control has been conducted under the supervision of the Food Self-Sufficiency Ratio Improvement Council. For example, the detailed activities of the staff concerned and the progress of the project according to the action plan including the goals have been regularly checked and verified. More quantitative goals were included in the action plan in FY2006 so that the project can be promoted effectively.

• The food self-sufficiency ratio differs depending on the dietary habits of the population concerned. The expansion of consumption of domestic agricultural products supports local agriculture and contributes to the improvement of the food self-sufficiency ratio and reduction of global warming.

• The food supply capability should be enhanced by taking the following approaches: assuring agricultural resources including farmland and agricultural water under normal circumstances, fostering and securing the principal farmers and improving the technological standard of agriculture. We can contribute toward the stabilization of global food supply and demand if we make efforts to assure the stable supply of food by effectively utilizing our resources.

Survey on Awareness of the Japanese Food Self-sufficiency Ratio

Source: “Food as Intergenerational Linkage,” Actual Condition of and Attitude toward Food” (published February 2004, by The Norinchukin Bank)

Notes: 1) The survey was conducted on 500 housewives with children, ranging from 30 to 59 years of age. (Retrieval rate: 80.0%)

2) Whether the respondents recognized the food self-sufficiency ratio on a calorie basis was unknown because the categories of the food self-sufficiency ratio were not mentioned.

Main Goals Included in “FY2006 Action Plan for Improvement of Food Self-sufficiency Ratio”

Key targets	Targets
Food consumption related issues	Promotion of “Shokuiku,” expansion of consumption of domestic agricultural products	Awareness of “Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top”: 30%; Awareness of early implementation of tri-weekly rice school lunch, commercialization of new processed rice, and new foods made from ground rice: 30%
Promotion of local consumption of local produce	Number of developed plans for promotion of local consumption of local produce: 900 areas (FY2007); Improvement of percentage of local agricultural products in school lunch: 30% and more (FY2010)
Assurance of reliance on domestic agricultural products	Preparation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Manual: 30 prefectures; Establishment of GAP verification production areas: 120 sites; Percentage of items which can be traced by traceability system: 50% (FY2007)
Agricultural production related issues	Promotion of production in line with demand by principal farmers	Number of certified farmers: about 225 thousand; Number of village farming collectives: 15 thousand (about 2.5 thousand specified farming communities and about 1.5 thousand specified agricultural corporations included)
Enhancement of collaboration between food industry and agriculture	Development of new products produced by using domestic agricultural and fishery products: 22 items; Percentage of food processors who procure raw materials from domestic farmers under contract: 60% (FY2010)
Promotion of efficient utilization of farmland	Number of new engagements in farming (general companies included): three-fold rise in five years; Increase in consolidated farmland area for use by those involved in agriculture: 42 thousand ha; Number of important sites for promotion of feed production: 180 sites; Self-sufficiency of rice straw: 100%; Beef cattle grazing in paddy fields: 5 thousand

Source: Prepared by MAFF

Note: Goals with no mention of fiscal year are to be achieved in FY2006.

Influence on Food Self-sufficiency Ratio on Calorie Basis from Aspect of Consumption

Example of change in consumption to improve food self-sufficiency ratio by 1%	Per capita daily increase
Rice	Consuming another spoonful of rice per meal	About 7.2 g
Wheat	Consuming another three bowls of noodles made from 100% Japanese wheat per month	About 7.0 g
Soybeans	Consuming another three pieces of tofu made from 100% Japanese soybeans per month	About 6.0 g

Source: Estimated by MAFF according to “Food Balance Sheet,” MAFF

Note: The estimation was made on the assumption that the increase in consumption might result in a corresponding reduction in the consumption of different items dependent on foreign imports.

Estimation of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Associated with Food Transportation (Preliminary calculation)

Source: Prepared by MAFF according to the article titled “Discussion of Total Amount and Distance of Food Importation (Food Mileage) and the Resulting Burden on the Environment” [Tetsuya Nakata, “Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Policy Research No. 5 (2003),” Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries].