Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
# Countryside Stay started

● Countryside Stay represents long-stay tours in which tourists experience traditional Japanese lives and enjoy exchanges with farmhouse and other local residents in rural areas.

● The government plans to improve rural income and invigorate rural communities by creating 500 areas prepared for countryside stay business by 2020.

## Seeking to create 500 countryside stay areas by 2020

Rural areas may increase their income and invigorate themselves by providing a variety of services to tourists including foreigners visiting Japan to obtain repeaters and new tourists.

Rural areas accepting tourists are urgently required to create tourism contents and arrangements utilizing local resources.

Under regional empowerment and tourism-oriented country policies, the government seeks to create 500 areas prepared to do countryside stay business by 2020.

Countryside stay promotion measures for the FY2017 rural area promotion subsidy program supported 206 out of about 400 areas applying for the program.

Foreign tourists enjoying rural stays

Third selected “Discover Countryside Treasures” area (Semboku, Akita Prefecture)

## Creating opportunities to get tourists aware of local initiatives

The attractiveness of countryside stay should be publicized at home and abroad to strategically create opportunities for people to become aware of local initiatives.

##

① A video using an informative foreign talent to introduce Japanese communities tackling countryside stay was broadcast in 7 Southeast Asian countries and communicated throughout the world through video distribution websites.

② Monitor tours were implemented for foreign agents and informative bloggers to communicate food, landscapes, old folk houses and other attractive things in rural Japanese areas through social networking services.

A video using a foreign talent

(Broadcast by Southeast Asian cable television station LiTV)
③ A collection of countryside stay process cases was produced, covering 12 forerunning farm accommodation areas.

④ The countryside stay symposiums were held 14 times in major cities in Japan.

By FY2017, 15 areas were designated for the SAVOR JAPAN initiative to attract foreign and other tourists with local food and its producers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries.

Countryside stay symposium

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A challenge to develop processed gibier as a new local specialty (Ishikawa Prefecture)

Jun Ishizaka of Noto Island founded a countryside stay promotion organization in April 2017, launching a challenge to secure good wild boar meat in cooperation with local business operators and develop wild boar mince cutlet and other new products.

The organization pursues a highly profitable initiative to develop impressive products and experiences for tourists including overseas visitors to make Noto Island a brand.

Selling wild boar mince cutlet at an exchange event

## Foreign tourists visiting Japan frequently tend to go to rural areas

Japan has set a target of increasing the number of foreign visitors to Japan to 40 million and their tourism consumption to 8 trillion yen by 2020. In 2017, the number reached a record 28.69 million with consumption hitting an all-time high of 4,416.2 billion yen.

➢ While shopping consumption’s share of total consumption has declined, entertainment service consumption’s share has increased. Consumption has thus been shifting from goods to entertainment services.

➢ Tour destinations by the frequency of visits to Japan indicate that overseas visitors to Japan more frequently tend to go to rural regions.

## Breakdown of consumption by foreign tourists to Japan

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on JTA, Consumption Trend Survey for Foreigners Visiting Japan

Rural destinations' shares by frequency of visits to Japan (2017)

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on JTA, Consumption Trend Survey for Foreigners Visiting Japan

Note: Rural regions are prefectures other than the three major urban regions' 8 prefectures (Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo).
### 1. Food self-sufficiency ratio and food self-sufficiency potential index

In the latest 20 years, the food self-sufficiency ratio has remained around 40% on a calorie basis and around a 65-70% range on a production value basis. In FY2016, the ratio fell by 1 point to 38% on a calorie basis due mainly to a decline in wheat production. On a production value basis, the ratio rose by 2 points to 68% due mainly to growth in vegetable and fruit production value.

The food self-sufficiency potential index, which shows potential food production capacity, has been declining due primarily to shrinking farmland and stagnating average yields.

The government will seek to maintain or improve the food self-sufficiency ratio and potential by increasing agricultural production through the intensification and integration of farmland use and by expanding demand for Japanese agricultural products at home and abroad.

Source: MAFF, Food Balance Sheet

Example requests to consumers

Measures that can be taken immediately to raise the food self-sufficiency ratio by 1 point:

Source: MAFF, Leaflet titled “Nippon tabemonoryoku mikketai”

### 2. Strategic exploration of global market

## Promoting the export of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and foods

Exports in value rewrote a record high for the 5 $ ^{th} $ straight year. Among agricultural products, beef, garden trees, green tea, rice and strawberries hit record highs.

A strategic project for expanding overseas rice markets was launched in September 2017 to dramatically increase rice exports.

The “Japanese Food” Export EXPO, the first Japanese food export fair in Japan, was held in October 2017, attracting a large number of foreign buyers.

The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO) announced a promotion strategy for seven products including wagyu Japanese beef, launching their promotion.

Import restrictions were lifted or eased on Japanese persimmon in the United States and Australia, on Japanese beef in Malaysia and on foods (related to radioactive materials) in the European Union.

Export of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and foods

Source: Prepared by MAFF, based on MOF, Trade Statistics
Under the Food Action Nippon Award program, top leaders of large food-related companies select excellent processed products using made-in-Japan agriculture, forestry and fisheries products and sell them at their stores.

➢ Training courses for the protection and succession of Japanese food culture are provided to dietitians having contacts with the child-rearing generation. The Washoku Association of Japan and other private organizations implement public awareness activities for the protection and succession.

Food Action Nippon Award 2017 ceremony

### 5. Ensuring food safety and consumers' confidence

## I mproving food safety

It is important to develop and disseminate measures for preventing or reducing contamination in foods as necessary throughout the food chain from production to consumption based on scientific evidence.

MAFF conducts surveillance of chemical and microbiological hazards in agricultural and dairy products, and processed foods and develops and disseminates risk management measures.

In FY2017, MAFF developed and disseminated a leaflet for preventing food poisoning during barbecue parties and a handbook for hygiene practice for pork in primary production.

## Ensuring consumer confidence

MAFF provides consulting services regarding a new food labelling system and Regional Agricultural Administration Office officials’ surveillance and enforcement based on the Food Labelling Act.

A new system was launched in September 2017 to extend the mandatory country of origin labeling for ingredients which had covered only some processed foods to cover all processed foods made or processed in Japan.

The Consumer Affairs Agency compiled the results of a study on a revised labelling system for genetically modified food products in March 2018 and is considering specific revisions.

Source: MAFF

## Labelling examples for a new system for country of origin labeling for ingredients of processed food products

If the most predominant ingredient by weight is perishable food, the countries of origin should be labeled in descending order by weight

Past labelling

Name: Pork sausage(wiener)

Ingredients: Pork, pork fat, protein hydrolysate, ...

New labelling	Country of origin for pork	Labelling for pork
1 country	Pork (U.S.)
2 countries	Pork (U.S., Japan)
3 or more countries	In case where all countries of origin are labelled →Pork (U.S., Japan, Canada, Denmark) In case where third and lower-ranked countries are labelled as “others” →Pork (U.S., Japan others) * Third and lower-ranked countries can be labelled as “others.”

If the most predominant ingredient by weight is semi-processed ingredient, the country of origin should be labeled as “produced in XX”

Past labelling

Name: Chocolate cake

Ingredients: Chocolate, flour, ...

New labelling

Name: Chocolate cake

Ingredients: Chocolate (produced in Belgium), flour, ...
MAFF prepared a handbook in March 2018, which offers food industry managers the key points to promote work style reforms.

While the global undernourished population reaches 815 million (as announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in September 2017), Japan disposes of food equivalent to 2 times the food aid volume of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Initiatives to extend food deadlines through the relaxation of delivery deadlines and technological development have been expanded to reduce food losses.

##

System for sales to retailers allowing farmers to determine shops and prices (national)

➢ Nousouken Corporation’s shipment system allows farmers to attach seals of self-selected retail shops and prices to their products at shipment sites and get their products put on retail shop shelves the next morning in principle.

Farmers can get 60-65% of prices. Shop and price information provided by the corporation is used by farmers for devising packages, selecting shops and determining prices.

A bar code seal printer and a tablet computer

### 7. Exploring new demand for agriculture, forestry and fisheries products and food

Total sales related to agricultural production in FY2015 increased by 100.8 billion yen from the previous year to 1,968 billion yen.

Women accounted for 70% of employees in business operations related to agricultural production, indicating their remarkable presence.

A state infrastructure project is being implemented for research and development to discover health functions of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fisheries products and food, with medical institutions participating.

The project aims to acquire evidence and commercialize 15 or more products by FY2018 after clinical tests in FY2017.

Total annual sales related to agricultural production

Source: MAFF, “Comprehensive Survey on AFFrinnovation”
As productive population has continued declining from a peak in 1995, numerous industries are plagued with labor shortages.

Amid the intensification of competition to secure personnel among industries, MAFF established a panel for a work style reform in agriculture and compiled specific reform measures for farmers in March 2018.

While the number of certified farmers at the end of March 2017 fell by 1.5% from a year earlier, the number of corporate management entities among certified farmers increased by 8.0%.

While the number of community-based farm cooperatives has leveled off at around 15 thousand in recent years, corporation farms' share of the number has steadily increased.

The number of corporations that entered into farming by taking advantage of leasing methods deregulated fully under the revised Agricultural Land Act in 2009 stood at 2,676 at the end of 2016.

## Strengthening human resources

In FY2017, 21 prefectures opened agricultural management seminar attracting 441 students.

Under a Public – Private Partnership Encouraging Students Study Abroad launched in FY2013, 137 agricultural university students and 15 agricultural senior high school students conducted study abroad by the end of FY2017.

Project to Accept Foreigners for Agricultural Support in National Strategic Special Zones was launched in September 2017.

## Participation of women farmers

➢ While women among core persons engaged mainly in farming have decreased, permanently hired female workers of organized farms have been increasing, expanding female farmers' presence at organized farms.

Under the “Nougyou-Joshi Project” campaign for women farmers to be more active in agricultural business through cooperation with various industries to tap women farmers' knowledge and experiences, project members hold public relations events at Hong Kong department stores and other sites and cooperate with educational institutions in promoting the “Team Hagukumi (development)” campaign.

Number of certified farmers

Note: As of the end of March each year

Number of community-based farm cooperatives and corporations' share

Source: MAFF “Fact-finding Survey on Community-based farm cooperatives

Note: As of February each year

Opening of agricultural management seminars

Source: MAFF

Women’s share of agricultural labor force (thousand persons)

2016	2017
Total	Number of women	Women's share	Total	Number of women	Women's share
Core persons engaged mainly in farming (in commercial farm households)	1,586	656	41.4%	1,507	619	41.1%
Permanently hired workers (at organized farms)	125	52	41.9%	128	57	44.2%

Source: MAFF, “Survey on Movement of Agricultural Structure” (aggregate calculation after reclassification)
## Revenue insurance system

➢ A revenue insurance system will be launched in January 2019 as a comprehensive safety net covering total revenue.

Revenue insurance system

The standard revenue is based on the average revenue in the past 5 years and farming plans including business size expansion during the insurance term.

### 2. Developing and conserving agricultural production infrastructure

The agriculture and rural area development project comprises (1) the development of strong farming infrastructure meeting business farmers' needs, (2) the extension of service lives of irrigation facilities indispensable for continuing farming production and (3) the prevention and reduction of disasters to protect agriculture and rural areas from disaster risks.

By the end of FY2015, 64.7% of rice paddies were consolidated into 30 a or larger partitions.

Stock management is implemented to conserve functions of outdated farm irrigation facilities.

➢ Dam bodies including priority irrigation ponds for disaster prevention are refurbished with hazard map preparation promoted.

Image of farmland consolidation for business farmers through infrastructure development

Source: MAFF

### 3. Production trends for major farm and livestock products

## Trends in agricultural output

The number of prefectures that have increased agricultural output in the past decade stands at 34 including those where vegetable or livestock farming accounts for a high share of output. The number of those that have reduced agricultural output in the period comes to 13 including those where rice farming accounts for a high share.

Numbers of prefectures with increases and decreases in agricultural output (2006-2016 changes)

Prefectures with increases	Prefectures with high vegetable or livestock farming share	Prefectures with decreases	Prefectures with high rice farming share
34	28	13	8

Source: MAFF, Agricultural Production Income Statistics

Note: A “high share” in the table means a 30% or higher share and the largest share of agricultural output.
### 4. Promoting measures to enhance agricultural production competitiveness

## Promoting smart agriculture

11 consortium-based AI technology development projects are being implemented. Regarding IoT technology, a remotely controlled water control system was developed in FY2017.

Regarding robot technology, a self-driving system for a tractor under human surveillance is being developed for commercialization in 2018.

Guidelines for the development and introduction of automatic flying objects were revised for promoting crop-dusting drones.

A prototype was built in December 2017 for agricultural data cooperation infrastructure contributing to Society 5.0 for agriculture.

Initiatives to use advanced technologies for agriculture in cooperation with the industrial world are making progress.

## Moves to lower Agricultural input prices

“AGMIRU,” a website for the comparison of agricultural inputs, was opened in June 2017 in order for farmers to compare and select agricultural material sellers.

For agricultural chemicals, a new registration system for use on crop group was introduced to fruit group in April 2017.

Fertilization standards that have led to small-volume production of numerous fertilizers are being revised.

➢ Feed companies are taking advantage of the business restructuring scheme created by the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Support Act.

## Promoting farming safety measures

The annual number of farming accident deaths remained around 350 in recent years.

In March 2017, “Risk Chart for Farmers Safety” was developed as an enlightenment material applicable to various types of farmers for distribution to agriculture extension advisers who diffuse and use the material for farmers.

## Rice paddy water control system using IoT technology

Source: Prepared by MAFF based on data from National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)

## Mechanism of “AGMIRU” agricultural input comparison website

Source: MAFF

## Risk Chart for Farmers Safety (Excerpts on brush cutters)

### 1. Work environment

Item	Points for checking	Checking space	priority
Yes	No
Work site	A slippery slope has scaffoldings or small stairs.
Before brush cutter operation, you should confirm the work site and check if there are structures, stocks, wires, stones or cans.
You should not do brush cutter operation when the work site is slippery due to morning dew or rain.

You should not do brush cutter operation when the work site is slippery due to morning dew or rain.

(Points rör improvement)

Operation on right conditions for brush cutting can enhance safety and efficiency. Full preparations are required, including the wearing of spiked boots.

(Additional points)

① Brush cutting operation should be limited to two hours per day, with one continuous operation limited to 30 minutes followed by a 5-minute rest (to prevent vibration disorder).

② You should avoid brush cutting operation under the
### 5. Promotion of environmental policy such as responses to climate change

The United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) include climate change mitigation and adaptation, and biodiversity loss prevention.

As some agricultural products have had quality losses on global warming, the introduction of varieties mitigating such quality losses is promoted.

Measures are promoted to reduce methane emissions from paddy fields as well as methane and dinitrogen monoxide emissions from livestock excrement.

▶ Ecofriendly agriculture including organic farming contributes to conserving the habitat/growth environment for living things.

The total size of farmland certified as meeting organic JAS standards has remained around 10 thousand ha in recent years.

Rice and apple quality losses on average temperature change

A questionnaire survey of general agricultural cooperatives and farmers on agricultural cooperative reform indicates an increasing percentage share of those that started business reform initiatives. However, general agricultural cooperatives have some gap with farmers over business reform.

The new post of agricultural committee member for farmland use optimization promotion, created through an agricultural committee reform, has been being given to agricultural committee members upon their elections.

Agricultural mutual relief associations are preparing for establishing their national federation to implement a new revenue insurance.

Regarding land improvement districts, a bill has been submitted to the National Diet for switching to a land improvement system reflecting cultivators' opinions adequately and increasing procedural efficiency for land improvement at a time when non-farm households having farmland are increasing.

Farmland certified as meeting organic JAS standards

Cross-section of white immature rice grain

Cross-section of normal rice grain

### 6. Agriculture-related organizations supporting agriculture

Apple color variation

Questionnaire survey on agricultural cooperative reform

Category	Respondents	FY2016 survey	FY2017 survey
Those who answered that they have started specific initiatives to reform agricultural products sales	General agricultural cooperatives	68.0%	87.7%
Farmers	25.6%	32.2%
Those who answered that they have started specific initiatives to reform production materials purchases	General agricultural cooperatives	65.5%	88.3%
Farmers	24.0%	34.1%
Those who answered that agricultural cooperatives are having thorough talks with cooperative members on how to sell agricultural products and how to select cooperative executives.	General agricultural cooperatives	48.9%	76.6%
Farmers	21.9%	30.6%

Source: MAFF
##

“Karijonokai” linking women interested in hunting in Ishikawa and other prefectures (Ishikawa Prefecture)

➢ After acquiring a hunting license, Fujiko Nagata in Hakusan City launched “Karijyonokai (women hunters’ club)” along with 4 of her friends in March 2016 for communications among women hunters.

➢ After receiving press coverage by mass media, “Karijyonokai” now has more than 30 members from Ishikawa and other prefectures, conducting dialogue and communications through social networking services.

## Expanding gibier use

Captured deer and wild boars, which have mostly been buried or incinerated, have been increasingly used for gibier (wild meat) in recent years.

Gibier consumption totaled 1,283 tons in FY2016, when wholesalers accounted for the largest share of gibier purchases.

The government has set a target of doubling gibier consumption in FY2019, designating 17 districts as gibier utilization models.

The government has held gibier cooking contests and published prize-winning recipes. It has also opened gibier cooking seminars for cooks at various sites in Japan.

The number of elementary and junior high schools providing gibier for school lunches stood at 320 at the end of October 2017.

Fujiko Nagata in front of a café she runs

Consumption of gibber from wildlife disassembled at meatpacking facilities (FY2016)

Source: MAFF “Fact-finding Survey on Wildlife Resources Utilization (FY2016)”

Note: “Others” include meat delivered to those who requested facilities to disassemble wildlife, as well as meat for home consumption.

Gibier sales from meatpacking facilities by buyer category (FY2016)

Source: MAFF “Fact-finding Survey on Wildlife Resources Utilization (FY2016)”

Note: The above percentages represent buyer categories' shares of meat subjected to wholesale and retail. Others include retailers and direct sales to consumers.

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## Gibier put into a cooking school curriculum for the first time (Kumamoto Prefecture)

In Kumamoto Prefecture, meat processors, food service providers and municipalities launched Kumamoto Gibier Study Group in FY2012 to promote Kumamoto gibier.

In FY2015, a cooking school in Kumamoto cooperated with the study group in putting gibier cooking into a curriculum for the first time in Japan. Graduates from the school are expected to help diffuse gibier dishes.

A gibier cooking class